The Honey of Eternity
by thosefanficsofmine
Summary: My take on Season 4. Many couplings, and includes every single House of Anubis resident student ever!
1. Chapter 1

"Finally back," grinned Eddie, tugging his colossal suitcase from the taxi. He handed the driver some money, before gazing at the House. "Sixth Form at boarding school. Cool."  
"Eddie!" came a yell, and a smile flickered over the boy's mouth as he recognised the voice. Then, he was crushed in an embrace by his girlfriend, Patricia.  
"Hey, Yacker," he chortled, returning the throttling hug. "Good summer?"  
"Oh yeah," said Patricia sarcastically. "Spending six weeks in an Italian Opera House so Piper could finish her studies was just perfect. You?"  
"I hung out with KT in America, but she's the only person I saw. The rest of the time I was kind of lonely, I guess, so no," laughed Eddie. "Hey, is that Jerome and Joy?"

Two figures were tearing towards the duo, and before they knew it, they were both being rugby tackled by the couple. "Joy!" squealed Patricia. "I've missed you!"  
"Jerry, you're choking me," rasped Eddie, as the boy loosened his grip, laughing.  
"Good summer, guys? Me and Joy had an _awesome_ time. Picture this: an entire summer spent in the field near my house, chilling out. Best time ever," smirked Jerome, pulling Joy into an embrace. She giggled.  
"It was alright," she winked, before fluffing her boyfriend's hair. "What are you guys doing for A Levels?"  
"PE, Biology (because it's good for a sportsman, _not_ because of Dad), English Literature and English Language," answered Eddie. "I only like PE out of those options."  
"I'm taking both Englishes, Music, History and Maths," nodded Patricia. "I only like Music really. And to be honest, I can't even play that well. Me and Piper have done cello together since we were little, but I suck at it."  
"Me and Jerome are both doing Business Studies, _and_ he's doing Maths and Further Maths. How smart is my boyfriend?" cooed Joy, patting his nose. "I took Drama too. I didn't want to take any others...I missed a whole year of school, I'm hardly academic now."

"GUYS, YOU'RE DOING SIXTH FORM TOO?" came a loud, booming voice. Turning around, Alfie was leaping at the group, his hand still wrapped around Willow's.  
"Yes, Alfie," guffawed Jerome. "What pranks we shall pull."  
"I hope we're all in the same House," whispered Willow. "I'm in Anubis again."

It wasn't long before the entire gang appeared, and everybody was in Anubis House.  
"It'll be just like old times!" beamed Mara, looking up into Fabian's eyes. He blushed.  
"Yeah," he agreed. "Except there's a new caretaker."  
"Hello, my lovelies!" greeted Trudy, cuddling each student. "You will love the new caretaker. His name is Harold, and he is just – well, dreamy!"  
"You thought Victor was dreamy though," Willow said suspiciously, and Alfie laughed in agreement.  
"Well, Harold really is! Now come into the kitchen and I'll tell you which rooms you're all in!"

The students all bustled into the kitchen, KT feeling a little lost as she was surrounded by couples.  
"Alright. Well, it looks like you're all in your old rooms!" grinned Trudy. Everybody cheered. She continued: "Wait, are my eyes seeing things or does this piece of paper say..."  
"Amber Millington!" came a chirpy voice, and a familiar stunning blonde appeared. "Yes, I'm back! Fawn over me if you must!" She seemed to be attacked by everyone, even those who didn't know her well. "Hey boo," she smiled at Alfie. "I heard you're dating Willow. I'm totally cool with it."  
"Thanks, Ambs," grinned Alfie, his heart melting at the sight of her face.  
"What are you doing back here, Millington?" said Jerome fondly.  
"Well, I'm a fashion genius, so I graduated a year earlier than everybody else and decided to come back here to finish my academic schooling and build my CV. I'm very good at these kinds of decisions. I'm doing Art, Textiles and Drama!"  
"I'm so glad to have you back, love," grinned Trudy. "But there is one person on this list who hasn't arrived yet. That's rather sad, I think it must've been a mistake. Amber, you'll be rooming in the attic where Vera used to stay."  
"Alone?" moaned Amber. "Alright. Fabes, please help me carry my suitcase!"  
"He's got his own to carry, Amber," chuckled Mara. "Hey, you need to know about all the new relationships! Well, Joy and Jerome are dating-"  
"No way. That's strange. At least she isn't trying to steal Nina's boo anymore. Oh, Nina and I met up so much in America!" exclaimed Amber, going off on a tangent. Fabian flushed a deep beetroot at the mention of his first love.  
"Actually, Amber, Mara and I are dating now," uttered Fabian.  
"Oh. Weird," was all Amber said, before everybody dispersed to put their things away.


	2. Chapter 2

That night, everybody was downstairs eating their dinner. Suddenly, bangs upon the front door could be heard.

"Patricia, would you get the door? Someone's knocking," called Trudy from the kitchen, hands filled with plates. Patricia prised herself away from Eddie and sloped outside.  
"I am _so_ excited for this meal, Trudy," beamed Willow. "It is my recipe after all. I promise, guys, tofu ramen is the most delicious thing _ever._ "  
"I trust you, babe," grinned Alfie, pecking her cheek. Across the room, Amber felt a pang in her chest. It was hard to see her ex boyfriend with somebody else, but she accepted they made a good couple and that maybe 'Amfie' wasn't written in the stars after all. Whilst she had been in New York, Amber had dated countless stylish boys, but none of them had seemed to leave a mark on her like Alfie did.

"Guys..." came Patricia's voice, and everyone turned to the door. Patricia appeared with arm around a certain ex-Sibuna-member-ex-girlfriend-of-Fabian.  
"NINS!" shrieked Amber, catapulting across the room into the arms of her friend. "I've missed you so much!"  
"Chill, Amber, we saw each other loads while we were both living in New York," chortled Nina, returning the hug. It wasn't long before the rest of the room (including Willow and KT, who felt like they had to join in) were piling themselves upon Nina. It also wasn't long before Nina's eyes drifted and latched onto Fabian's.

"You're back," he said gently, a smile appearing on his lips. Nina giggled.  
"Yeah," she responded. "Now Eddie's Osirian powers are gone...no one's in danger."  
"So you're still the Chosen One?" piped out Patricia, hand finding Eddie's at the mention of his name.  
"Sadly, yes," sighed Nina. "But hey! Life isn't all rosy!"  
"It is now you're back," Fabian whispered softly.  
"Hey, I heard that!" Mara scolded him. "Don't go cheating on me, Fabian!" She sent Jerome a withering look, and he looked at the floor, ashamed. He had recently regained romantic feelings for the girl, as when she was with Fabian the old, kind Mara had resurfaced and he had once loved that Mara. But Joy was his present, and he wasn't planning on revisiting the past.

Amber watched her best friend's face as it crumbled at the idea of Fabian being taken.  
"You're...dating?" she croaked, trying to keep the sadness from her voice. Fabian looked a little ashamed.  
"Yeah," he admitted. Nina nodded, breathing in deeply.

"Nina, love, I don't mean to be a bother – but where are you rooming?" questioned Trudy.  
"Me and Amber are sharing the attic – that's what Sweetie told me. You know, where Vera used to stay," Nina replied, shooting Amber a grin. "It'll be like old times."  
"Not quite," sighed Amber, sadly. "There's no Fabina."  
"Or Amfie!" added Joy pointedly, aware of Amber's lingering feelings for Alfie. The embracing group dispersed a little in awkwardness, until Fabian and Amber went to help Nina carry her luggage into the attic.

"I can't believe you're with Mara," muttered Amber sharply as she hauled Nina's book suitcase up the stairs. "I mean, come on! Nina's like – your everything!"  
"I told him to move on, didn't I?" defended Nina, sadness in her voice. "It's my fault."  
"N-no – Nina, it's no one's fault. You were just gone, and I fell for Mara. It's life," shrugged Fabian, though he felt himself falling out of love with Mara extremely fast now that he was kissing distance from Nina.  
"Whatever, Fabian. It's not like I didn't date while I was away. I mean – I had a boyfriend. Really attractive. Tall, dark haired, really awesome, you know the type," lied Nina, opening the attic door. "Me and Amber can take it from here, Fabian."  
"Okay. Call me if you need me," responded Fabian dejectedly.

"So let me get this straight...Fabian and Mara? Since when?" interrogated Nina as soon as she had placed down her luggage in the attic.  
"I don't know, babe, I found out yesterday. At the Year 11 Graduation, I think," sighed Amber. "I know how you feel. Alfie is totally in love with Willow, and it's making me wish I never left."  
"And _Jerome and Joy?_ What the heck?" moaned Nina. "That cannot be good. I loved Jerome and Mara together."  
"Me too," agreed Amber, unzipping a small pink duffel bag. "Look. I even made a scrapbook for them, and then he cheated on her. Alfie told me over emails. He cheated on her with Willow."  
"Whoa," gasped Nina. "That's insane. Jerome is like a Circus of Cruelty."  
"Exactly, perfect for Mara! I mean, she stole Mick off me, remember?" sassed Amber. "Ugh, this room has no personality! Good thing I packed decorations."

In half an hour, Nina and Amber had revamped the room – Amber's side ridiculously girly, with fashion posters on the walls, and Nina's with a lot of framed pictures of her and her Gran.  
"I brought this of me and Fabian," croaked Nina, holding out a small Polaroid image of her and Fabian kissing.  
"Did I take that? I swear I did," Amber grinned, examining the photo. "It was in the summer holidays between Year 9 and Year 10 _**[author's note: basically between Season 1 and Season 2. I know I have the time frame wrong but I really wanted them to be in Sixth Form so yeah]**_ **–** those were great times! You were at my summer home in Spain, both of you came!"  
"That's all over now," lamented Nina. "He's with Mara."  
"Oh please. Look at this picture of me and Alfie in the Christmas holidays of Year Ten, when we were together. It's heartbreaking to see," wailed Amber dramatically, unveiling her own Polaroid picture. In the image, she and Alfie were on a windswept beach, clad in knitted garments, her on his back and him running. "We went to the seaside with Jerome and Mara. Mara took the photo." Sighing, both girls placed their photos back in their bags.

Meanwhile, downstairs, dinner had finished and Mara was chilling with Fabian in his room.  
"Are you excited for A Levels, babe?" she said tentatively, watching Fabian's distressed expression as he was thinking about Nina. "I know I am."  
"Yeah. I – I took Maths, History..." Fabian trailed off. Nina was probably taking History, too.  
"I know what you took. You seem kind of worried now Nina's back," grimaced Mara, curling her fingers around his. He nodded softly.  
"She was everything to me, Mara. She was gone without a warning, and now she's come back...without a warning," he whispered, as if the words were like daggers on his tongue.  
"She's probably just unorganised," reasoned Mara. "Look. You can be sad about the past, or you can be happy about the future! We are in such a good place, Fabian. You've reminded me who I used to be, before Jerome cheated on me. Kind, understanding, thoughtful! I love you for that."  
Fabian smiled. "I'm glad I could help," he chuckled, before seriousness took over his expression. "It was wrong of Jerome to do that to you."  
"He ruined me, for a bit. But it's okay. I can handle it," Mara said, voice brave. "I'm glad he's happy with Joy now."

But was he?


	3. Chapter 3

"Do I look good?" Amber asked herself as she posed in front of the mirror. "The answer is yes. I am _ecstatic_ that sixth formers can wear whatever they want. My fashion expertise will be known throughout the entire school."  
"It already is," chuckled Nina, pulling a brush through her hair. "I'm scared, to be honest. I used to feel so at home here, but now I feel like a stranger. Like I don't know anyone."  
"Except me, of course," added Amber. "We will always be BFFs."  
"Definitely," winked Nina. "Okay. Do I look decent? Tell me if I look gross."  
"You look cute as heck, Nina! Fabian will be dumping Mara in an instant!" squealed Amber excitedly.  
"Not so loud!" hissed Nina. "I don't want him to dump her. I just want him to be happy, okay?"  
"So should I make a Mabian scrapbook then? Gross. It sounds like tiring work, not like the fun times I had making the Fabina scrapbook. I should show you that one day," Amber went on. "The cover is green because to me Fabina is just _full of life._ And green is the colour of life."  
Nina laughed. "Nice, Amber. Now come on, we don't want to miss breakfast."

Luckily, Trudy had laid out a few extra chairs, so everybody was able to sit down comfortably, albeit in a different order than what Nina was used to. Fabian was across the table beside his girlfriend, both chatting and drinking orange juice.  
"So, Amber and Nina, how was it in the States?" KT wondered. "I am clearly from the US of A myself, and so I'm rather an expert."  
"Me too," chortled Nina. "I love America, of course, and it was nice being around Gran all the time...but I missed you guys." A chorus of 'awwws' erupted around the table.  
"We missed you too, Oh Chosen One!" teased Alfie. Nina groaned, remembering her responsibility.  
"So does like everyone know about Sibuna, then?" Nina asked, alarmed.  
"Yes! I was the last to know, but Alfie told me yesterday. I was feeling a little left out," pouted Willow, before tossing Alfie a grin in thanks. He rolled his eyes affectionately, causing Amber to roll her eyes in exasperation.  
"Really, Alfie? You would blow the sacred secret of Sibuna _just_ because you fancy a girl?" she sighed. "Even I never told Mick. And I was so into him."  
"Oh yeah, Mick never did know about Sibuna," Mara mused. "I wonder what he's doing right now."

After polite conversation at breakfast (which was pretty weird compared to the famous food fights Nina so fondly remembered), everybody went their separate ways to school.  
Jerome was walking with Alfie and Willow, when Joy caught up to them. "You trying to escape me, babe?" she teased, looping her arm in his. He cracked a grin, feeling slightly awkward as it was kind of what he was trying to do.  
"Never," he answered, pressing a kiss to her forehead, a kiss that sent warmth shivering throughout her face and neck before reaching her heart.  
"Isn't it odd now Amber's back, Alfie? She got very cross at you this morning," Willow sung dreamily, playing with her hair. "Her aura was very _angry._ You know, you can tell somebody is materialistic because they have a brown aura. She needs to be more spiritual."  
"Hey, don't go picking on her," defended Alfie. "Just because she doesn't like things you do."  
"I'm not! I have always looked up to Amber. She's very pretty," backed up Willow.  
"I think it's nice that Amber and Nina are back," put in Joy. "A bit awkward for you, Willow, and Mara too, but it's still nice."

"Do I hear my name?" called Mara. The foursome turned to see Mara walked towards them, hauling a heavy-looking rucksack. Jerome couldn't help but smile. She always looked so cute when she was ready for school – so studious and eager. He loved it.  
"Why yes, Jaffray. We were talking about the return of a certain Nina Martin and Amber Millington," he responded. "Where's Fabian? I'm sure he'd like to join in."  
"He was taking ages to get ready," giggled Mara. "And I'm personally really happy Nina and Amber are back. They're both nice, I'm sure they won't be after our boyfriends."  
"'Course not," agreed Joy. "It just depends on whether you're the one he wants to be with."  
"And I am. I definitely am," nodded Mara, though she was convincing herself as much as everybody else. "He loves me. He hasn't said it, but I know he does."

The subjects of the conversation were already at school. Amber had headed to the bathroom to clean up any make up errors the windy walk to school might've caused, and Nina went straight to the school library to grab some books. Nina was determined to catch up on her work this year as it really counted and she needed good A-Levels for her career choice – Egyptologist. Nina was a studious beauty, much like Mara, although her talents were often spent on the mysteries of Anubis. "Not this year," she told herself, loading her arms with books on curriculum studies, as well as one or two on her chosen topic of independent study – Egyptian Mythology. She staggered to her locker and shocked the armful of weighted learning into it, having difficulty locking it as it was full to the brim.

"Hey, Nina." Looking up at the familiar voice, Nina offered Fabian a rather weak smile.  
"Hi," she greeted him, leaning against her bulging locker and desperately trying to shut it. "A bit of help would be nice, Fabian."  
"Oh – yeah, of course!" he stammered, helping her slam her locker shut. She breathed out, before flashing him that grin he loved so much. "Listen, Nina, about the Mara thing-"  
"It's cool, Fabian. Don't worry about it. I'm not your boss," interrupted Nina, desperate not to have the 'it's not you, it's me' conversation. "You can do what you want."  
"But that's just it. I don't know if it is what I want," responded Fabian meekly. "I loved you."  
"Can we not do this here, Fabian?" panicked Nina. "Later. Come up to the attic tonight. Just not here." Bustling away from the boy, Nina breathed in and out. She just wanted a stress free year. She didn't know coming back to England would give her so much anxiousness. Fabian was left just as confused as Nina, stranded alone at her locker with a face that registered pure abandonment.

The first lesson of the day for Amber was Drama, and so she waltzed in, excited. It didn't take long for that to fizzle out, though, because Alfie and Willow were both in her class, and both of them were very cosy with each other.  
"Good morning, A-Levellers," came a melodic voice, and the entire class turned around to see a rather eccentric-looking woman upon the stage. She had blonde curls pinned about her head, a bright pink shawl over a lilac shirt and a floaty, hippy-dippy dress...and she was pretty gorgeous, actually.  
"Hey, Miss Willow!" called out Jerome, cheekily. The teacher shot him a resentful look.  
"Hello, Alfie. Class, I am your new drama teacher...and now you all know I am Willow's mother too. But rather than 'Miss Willow' do call me Mrs Jenks," sighed Mrs Jenks. Amber almost died. Her ex-boyfriend's girlfriend's _mother_ was her teacher? This could not get worse.  
"The first task is an improvisation. You must create an epic love scene with a partner in half an hour, before showcasing it to the class. This spontaneity is an introduction to the first practitioner we will be studying: Sanford Meisner. Okay, I will put Jade with Adam, Jenna with Hailey, Tom with Sarah, Harvey with Joseph, Willow with Amanda-"  
"No way, Miss J! You've got to put me and Willow together!" whined Alfie. Mrs Jenks rolled her eyes dramatically.  
"No. You will be going with Amber. I think that's everyone – get to work!"

She was wrong. It totally got worse.

Alfie approached Amber a little awkwardly. "This is weird," he said, breaking the ice.  
Chortling, Amber nodded. "You think? Okay, let's get on with it then."  
"Think spontaneous, Millington! Crazy, wild! Totally out of your comfort zone," he teased, patting her head affectionately. Swatting his hand away, Amber perked a brow.  
"Hey, I can be crazy. I'll show this whole Drama class how wild I am, just you wait," she replied, folding her arms. "Now let's get improvising."  
The whole thing turned out to be a lot more fun than she originally planned, and when they performed their epic love scene to the class, Mrs Jenks looked a little awe-struck.  
"Who knew you could act, Mr Lewis," she gasped. "Though it was probably because you were teamed with such an amazing little actress. Good job, Amber! That scene was so real, dramatic, raw, intense – it could've been straight from Romeo and Juliet! Rather than having a theoretical Drama lesson tomorrow, I think I might opt for you all to work on your epic love scenes. I'd love to see Amber and Alfie especially expand upon theirs. You're all dismissed, off to your next class!"

"That was a lot of praise," chortled Amber as the duo exited the class.  
"You think? I mean, Willow's mum _hates_ me, so that was immense!" smirked Alfie. "I thought it'd be uncomfortable...but I'm glad we got partnered up, man."  
"Me too," nodded Amber.  
"You guys were awesome!" cried out Willow, jumping up out of nowhere.  
"Thanks babe," smiled Alfie, chucking an arm around the girl.  
"Thanks! You and Amanda were really great too. I loved the whole social justice theme to it – it was cool how you incorporated real world issues like the mass amount of homophobia in the world," complimented Amber. That sentence earned her a weird look from Alfie.  
"Dude, did you eat a book? You sound like Mara!" he said, mouth gaping. Amber just laughed, and strutted away to her next class, Textiles.

After school, Amber and Nina had a de-brief on their first day as Sixth Formers.  
"I had so much fun, Nins! First period, me and Alfie had to do an epic love scene, which we were great at, and Willow was super nice about so I think I like her now. Then in Textiles, I basically knew everything we were taught because of fashion school so now I'm pretty much the teacher's pet, for once! And in Art, I'm next to a super cute guy called Brandon! Everything's great!" squealed Amber, ecstatically leaping around the room. "What about you?"  
"Well, Fabian bombarded me this morning with stuff like 'I don't know whether Mara is who I want to be with', so that kind of derailed me for the day. I did English Literature which was cool because I was in KT's class, so I sat with her. She's really nice. Uh, then I did English Language where I sat with Eddie and he basically told me about everything that happened last year and the teacher got really mad at us for talking, which wasn't fun. I really liked Law, that was pretty cool, and I got on with the teacher – but History was the worst. I'm in a class with Fabian, and we were put next to each other, and it was so uncomfortable especially as he's coming up here later on to talk about _us."_

But Amber was too busy running around squealing: " _FABINA'S BACK ON!"_ to give a proper reply.


	4. Chapter 4

That night, Amber went to hang out in Patricia's room, to clear the attic for Nina, who was stressing out. What was she supposed to say? She loved him, but how could she split up his relationship – she wasn't a bad person! Her brain fizzed and crackled with anxiousness before three knocks sounded on the door. Collecting herself, Nina pattered down the stairs and opened the door, a smile upon her lips.  
"Come on up." Fabian followed her up the stairs, where the both sat upon her bed.

"I thought I was over you," he began. "But I wasn't. As soon as I saw your face – it was like I never even felt something for Mara. It's awful."  
Nina felt a lump in her throat. "Oh," was all she could say. "I'm sorry I left."  
"And you being back here has made everything complicated. I wish you'd have warned me," Fabian continued, scratching his head. "It was like you abandoned me, and then just walked back in when it suited you."  
That annoyed Nina. "I had no choice! You know that!"  
"I-I know. Nina, I still love you, and so I can't be with Mara. It's not fair to her," Fabian said bravely. "But I also know we can't just jump back into a relationship, straight back to where we used to be. Life's not like that."  
"Sadly, no," Nina replied, absentmindedly reaching for the Polaroid picture in her bag. Fabian's eyes settled upon the image.  
"You still have that picture?" he uttered, a smile playing on his lips.  
"It's my favourite," shrugged Nina. Her face turned to view his, and their lips were centimetres apart. Fabian leaned forward slightly, eyes closing, but Nina backed away. "We can't do this to Mara. You can't – we can't-"  
"You're right. I have to end things with her first, and after that...we can go back to being friends. Good friends. Okay?" grinned Fabian, to which Nina nodded. "Love you, Nina."  
"Love you, Fabian."

Then he left, and Nina fell back onto her bed, a stupidly huge grin on her mouth.

Fabian walked into Patricia's room, where pretty much every female in Anubis House except Willow was hanging out. "Come to join the party, Fabes?" grinned Joy.  
"I thought you were upstairs," frowned Amber.  
"I was. Mara, can you come to my room with me?" he stuttered, to which Amber's frown deepened and everybody else sang 'ooooh!'. Mara blushed and got up, leaving the room.  
"You could've been a little more subtle, babe," she chuckled. "You might as well have said 'let's go make out'!" Grasping his hand, she pulled him downstairs and into his room before he had a chance to contradict what she said. "To which of course I would've said yes." And then she was kissing him, and he was startled and didn't know what to do because she tasted of chocolates and strawberries and he liked her. But he loved Nina.

Pushing her away, Fabian stood up. "That wasn't why I wanted you to come down here."  
Mara's face registered confusion. "Why then?" she wondered, already feeling uneasy.  
"Listen. You know I like you. Y-you know I do," he breathed, voice shaking as he fumbled with his fingers. "But since Nina came back...I was reminded of the fact that I- That I still love her..." He trailed off, his eyes falling upon Mara once more. He tried not to notice the tears glazing over her eyes. She inhaled deeply.  
"It's okay. I mean – I knew, deep down, because she's always been the one for you. Did you...did you kiss her? While you were upstairs with her?" Mara asked, meek.  
"Of course not! No!" Guilt spread over Fabian as he remembered how close he had come to kissing her, though. "No, nothing happened. I don't even know if she feels the same. I just can't be with you. It's unfair to you."  
Mara nodded. "Then that's okay. Honestly, even if we aren't together, I've still gained something positive from the relationship," she croaked, tears still pooling in her eyes but refusing to teem down her cheeks. "You made me remember who I was, Fabian. And I can go onto my next relationship being the kind Mara I was always meant to be. Thanks for that." And she stood up, and pulled the boy into a warm embrace, before exiting his room and going upstairs. She bumped into Nina on the girl's corridor, who noticed her glistening eyes and felt guilt.  
"Mara, I'm so-" she began, but Mara cut in, smiling.  
"It's okay, Nina. You two were always meant to be, okay?" She dragged a hand across her face to clear herself of the old tears. "I won't cry any more tears. It was a nice, healthy relationship and it's done me good. I'm thankful for that. Don't feel guilty." And she walked into her room, and suddenly, Nina felt happy. Everything was going to be okay.

The next school day went by pretty quickly, and Nina actually stayed behind after school to wait for Amber, who was planning the school play with Mrs Jenks. Walking into the Drama studio, she noticed Willow, Amber, Alfie and Mara crowded around a table.  
"Hey, Nins! Come sit over here!" called Amber, and of course Nina did.  
"I didn't know you did Drama," Nina said to Mara, who chuckled.  
"No, I don't – I'm writing the script. You could help, if you want?" she offered, to which Nina accepted. The meeting went on for an hour, and the students settled on doing a modern version of 'Romeo and Juliet'. "That'll be loads of fun to write!" beamed Mara.

Afterwards, Amber and Nina went to Nina's locker to collect Nina's hoard of books.  
"I can't believe you're putting so much effort into this year, Nins. You'll get spots," tutted Amber as Nina desperately tried to re-open her packed locker.  
"I fell behind because of saving the world and stuff, Amber. I need to catch up," Nina groaned. When the locker finally gave, her books came flying out and crashed onto the floor. A crack sounded, and something flew out of one of the books.  
"Shoot!" cried Nina, tearing after it. She picked it up and found...a tiny key. "Oh no. Not another one of these," she moaned, knowing that she would have to get to the bottom of whatever it unlocked. The key was gold with blue paint decorating it, and it was shaped strangely. Nina recognised Egyptian decor when she saw it, and slid the key onto her locket chain that Eddie had returned to her.  
"What was it?" Amber enquired, helping her friend gather her books up.  
"A key. When we get back to the house, we'll see what book it's from. I'm betting it's one of the Egyptian ones."

Once they stepped foot in the house, they smelt the stink of romance. Glancing at the living room, Nina spotted Patricia and Eddie being rather affectionate whilst munching peanut butter cookies.  
"Nina! Stop staring and let's go scan that key!" Amber shrieked, tugging her friend upstairs and into their room. Nina dumped the books on the floor and massaged her arms a little.  
"Wow. That's a lot of books," Amber raised a brow, and Nina shot her a ' _Shush you'_ look, rootling through the pile for books that might've held a key. She grabbed three books on Egyptian mythology, each looking as ancient as the other. She passed Amber one and began looking through another. Both girls found nothing. The final Egyptian book, however, held in it a golden bookmark that had a slot in it which fitted the key inside.  
"Okay, now we know which it came from, I can read that first. I _hate_ this, Ambs. I really wanted to study, but with mysteries around...I just can't help myself."  
"Me too, Nins. Me too."

Nina was up all night delving into the book of mythology, highlighting possible clues as to what the key could unlock. Amber was up too, scouring through for any pointers.  
"Nins, why don't you just find the contents page? It'll tell you where to look," Amber mumbled absent-mindedly. Staying up had bad effects on her. She was extremely tired.  
"Amber, there is no contents page," sighed Nina, slightly irritable now. She hated it when she couldn't find something.  
"Are you sure? Give it here." Amber purloined the book, marking Nina's page with the gold and flicking through the rest of the pages. "Weird. I think this is some sort of contents page, even though it's at the back."  
"Let me see." Nina scanned the page. "Yes! Look! ' _Myth 321: For the Finder of The Key'._ That is totally not a real myth." The pages flickered to number 912, where Myth 321 lay. "Yes! The real myth has been erased, someone wrote this by hand."

 _Myth 321_

 _The page hold shields a key of gold  
A key of old, a key of old  
To unveil the shining, treasured gift  
That between the loved caused many a rift  
To unlock the box of the papered way  
That is kept in the place where night becomes day._

"Okay...who on earth wrote that nonsense?" Amber huffed. "How are we supposed to solve that gibberish?"  
"Wait. I'm sure we can! I mean... _the page hold shields a key of gold, a key of old, a key of old..._ that's clearly talking about the book mark holding this ancient key. _To unveil the shining, treasured gift that between the loved caused many a rift._ This is saying that the key unveils some sort of treasure that causes...that causes unhappiness for some? I'm just guessing. Now, this is the most important part, and the part that I get stuck. The papered way, night becomes day part."  
"I say we reassemble Sibuna," decided Amber.  
"No! We can't have everyone in the house joining in. How about just Fabian for now?"  
"It's decided, then. The Original Sibuna Gang, back in action."


	5. Chapter 5

"Wait...another mystery? We've only been here two days!" laughed Fabian, fingering the tiny key.  
"I know, I know. Trouble follows us around, but I'm obsessed with finding out what this unlocks. We have this poem/riddle thing, but I can't quite translate the last two lines. Can you help?" Nina wound a strand of hair around her finger. Amber wasn't paying attention, applying a final coat of jet-black mascara to her already camel-length lashes.

"Okay," said Fabian, polishing off his breakfast and peering at the riddle. " _To unlock the box of the papered way._ The key clearly unlocks a box that contains...the papered way. What could that be?"  
"That's the issue, silly," Amber mumbled indistinguishably as she painted transparent lacquer on her lips.  
"The papered way. The papered...the papered...way. A map!" cried out Fabian. "Yeah, definitely! A map is the way...and it's papered. The papered way! So this box holds a map. Which obviously means this key unlocks yet another mystery. Are you prepared for that, Nina?"  
Nina paused, glancing at the pile of textbooks, unused. "Yes."  
"Good. Now what's this symbol?" Fabian peered at the etching on the back of the key, an item unnoticed by the girls previously.  
"A crocodile, duh. Like the one on Alfie's amulet," Amber put in, rolling her eyes a little at the thought of the stupid boy.  
"Hey, maybe the amulet will give us a clue! D'you think he'll still have it?" Nina grinned, eyes sparkling with eagerness.  
"Sure. I have mine, for sentimental value," Fabian nodded.  
"So much for Original Sibuna Gang," grunted Amber. "I'll recruit him at Drama, but tell him NO WILLOW!"  
"I guess while we're recruiting, we ought to tell the ex-Osirian, and Patricia," considered Nina.  
"Good idea," nodded Fabian. "It'll really be like old times." A smile crept up on his face.

The next day, Nina told Eddie about the mystery in English Language.  
"Whoa. Sounds interesting, man, but I don't want to get myself in for a death-wish like last year," shrugged Eddie. "I'm not the Osirian anymore. It's not my responsibility."  
"Okay, sure. Patricia's doing it though," grinned Nina, to which Eddie perked up.  
"Well, she makes a death-wish a little bit more exciting!" he cracked, before their teacher scolded them for talking again. Eddie rolled his eyes, before whispering when she had turned her attention away from them: "So who's in it then? The entire house?"  
"No, of course not. At the minute we're planning on it just being me, Amber, Fabian, you, Alfie and Patricia. The Sibuna gang of two years ago, plus you. No one else." Nina shook her head.  
"Hey, Mara proved pretty useful at the end of last year," reasoned Eddie.  
"Eddie, please. We can't have our cover blown. We're having a meeting tonight in the attic, okay? Ask all questions then."

Meanwhile, in Drama, a discussion about the school play was being had.  
"Now, I was definitely thinking that the part of Juliet should be played by Amber. Your acting is stunning, after all," complimented Mrs Jenks, to which Amber squealed excitedly. "You definitely play the part of a love-struck individual well, dear. But who should be Romeo?"  
"It should totally be Alfie! They act really well together," piped up Jenna, a dark-haired girl who was known for her beautiful singing voice. Willow inhaled deeply to calm herself down, clutching her amethyst necklace for comfort. Silently, she begged her Mum not to agree.  
"Good point, Jenna. Yes, I think so – Alfie will play the part of Romeo," announced Mrs Jenks, to which Amber felt a little gutted about as it meant she couldn't hide her feelings as well. "Amber and Alfie, go to discuss your characters in the costume room whilst we cast everybody else."

Once they were safe inside the costume room, Amber spilled all about the new mystery and why his amulet was needed. "But you can't tell Willow – or anyone. It's strictly between Fabian, Nina, me, Eddie, Patricia and you – okay?" she finished.  
"I can't keep secrets from Willow," said Alfie, uncomfortable. "It's not how our relationship works. We've built a really nice thing on- on trust, and mutual adoration, which is totally different to our relationship, Amber, because-"  
"This has nothing to do with our past, Alfie," groaned Amber. "This is to do with a Sibuna mystery that needs as little people involved as possible. Okay?"  
"No. I can't be in this without her, I can't be 'that guy'. I suggest you guys keep out of this mystery, Ambs, so I won't give you my amulet either. But I swear it'll do you all good." And then he was leaving the costume room, with an annoyed Amber behind him.

"He said _what_?" Was Nina's reaction to Alfie's rejection of the Sibuna offering. Amber nodded mournfully.  
"He's completely ditched Sibuna, and is refusing to give us the amulet," she said, angry. "He was spewing stuff about it not being an okay thing to do in his relationship, and then he started bringing up our previous relationship. It's ridiculous."  
"But we need that amulet!" fumed Patricia (who Fabian had recruited in his Music class). "What are we supposed to do now?" Silence filled the room.  
"Steal it," put in Eddie. "That's all we can do. For all we know this mystery could be really, really important so we have to."  
"Yeah, but how?" sighed Nina, folding her arms.  
"We could distract him, and- and search his room for it," suggested Fabian. "Amber would be a great distraction. You could be like – I want to talk about 'us', or something cliché like that."  
Amber moaned. "Why me?" she cried, but of course, as it was her duty, she did as she was told.

At eight o'clock, Amber knocked thrice on Alfie's door. He answered, and she noticed that Jerome was not in the room (he was watching some Netflix with Joy upstairs), and gave three loud coughs, which was the signal that once Alfie was out, the room would be totally clear.  
"Hey, Amber – if this is about Sibuna my answer is still the same," Alfie said warily.  
"No, it's not. I want to talk about us," replied Amber, trying to keep herself from shaking because she did _not_ want to have this conversation. She was just starting to get over him!  
"Us as in..." Alfie trailed off.  
"As in our previous relationship that was ended abruptly by me leaving. I still haven't got full closure so I need to talk it out. Come into the living room with me," Amber demanded, and Alfie (following his Amber-worshipping instincts) followed the girl into the kitchen, where she began making them tea.

Once they saw that Amber and Alfie had vacated the area, Patricia and Eddie flew into the room to scope it out. They had been chosen for their deviousness and ability to find things, so Nina and Fabian sat anxiously in the attic, away from the action.  
"If I was Alfie where would I hide it?" repeated Patricia over and over again under her voice. Eddie was looking in all the shelves whilst Patricia pulled up Alfie's mattress to reveal a vast collection of Playboy magazines, to which she curled her nose up.  
"Found anything?" she asked Eddie.  
"Nope," he replied. Panic rose in the pair, and Patricia pulled up Jerome's mattress to see a stuffed toy rabbit, a hoard of random keys and...  
"Hey, I found Jerome's diary!" smirked Patricia, pocketing the small black notebook. "I wonder if there's any more secret Jerome stuff." She leapt to look under his bed and found a safe labelled ' _Jerome and Alfie's Private Crap – Keep Out'.  
_ "Bingo," she whispered, pulling out the safe. "Okay, Slimeball, I'm going to need your safe-cracking expertise right about now."

Meanwhile, Amber was in the middle of a very uncomfortable conversation in the living room.  
"So do you...do you like, still have feelings for me?" asked Alfie.  
"No! I mean – uh, sort of. I'll always have a soft spot, I guess, but because our break up was so weird I never came to terms with it, y'know?" sighed Amber, sipping her tea. "We started to have something really nice."  
"You don't understand, Amber. A nice relationship is equality and mutual respect. I was like your puppy sometimes, and then other times I completely disregarded you, like your birthday," corrected Alfie. "It wasn't good, even though I loved you more than I love Willow. Crap, did I just say that?"  
Amber was alarmed. "But you loved me. With a d. LoveD, right?"  
"I guess," shrugged Alfie. "But I'll always have a huge crush on you, whether I'm with Willow or not. But obviously, I love the relationship I have with her. We're so similar."  
"It's cool that you're happy, boo," smiled Amber demurely. "I remember having a relationship like that. Me and Mick were really similar so we had such a good thing going until Mara came along."  
"Amber." Alfie grasped one of her hands. "I'll always have feelings for you. I didn't ditch you like Mick did. I'll always like you, okay?"  
Amber pulled back her hand. "Ooookay..."

Then, Patricia and Eddie loudly walked up the stairs calling out: "Oh, school is just great! I had such a great day!" which was the signal for 'done'.  
"Okay, nice chatting to you, talk to you later," chirped Amber, disappearing up the stairs, desperately thankful she didn't have to endure any more of that uncomfortable discussion.

Later that night, the gang were all in Nina's room, eating the last of Trudy's home-made pizza and contemplating the significance of the amulet.  
"What if we have to wear it later on or something?" Patricia wondered absentmindedly, pulling Jerome's diary out of her pocket.  
"No, wait! My Eye of Horus necklace fits into things, doesn't it? Well what if the symbol on this key fits into a part of the amulet? Is there a smaller crocodile anywhere?" Nina swivelled the amulet around, and found a small crocodile on the back. "Yes!" Pushing the two pieces together, a ray of light shone from the amulet and suddenly a record began to play.

 _Where night becomes day, where night becomes day  
Zoom in on the stars, listen to the music play  
Where the sunrise is seen first and the sky is well-known  
Where the cylinder will show you all that can be shown_

"Whoa! That's insane!" gasped Patricia. "And I have no idea what it means."  
"I scribbled it down. We'll be able to make sense of it," said Fabian, showing off his little black Sibuna notebook. "Hey, what's in your notebook, Patricia?"  
"It's Jerome's diary," she smirked. "And no, I will not give him it back. Who's interested on learning a little more about Joy and Jerome's love life?"  
"Me, me, me!" squeaked Amber. "Who needs mysteries when you have gossip?"  
"Who needs mysteries to begin with?" sighed Nina. "Guys, I'm turning in. I'm tired as heck, and I still haven't done my English Language homework. I guess I'll just have to get up early to do it. We'll talk tomorrow." Nina looped the amulet onto her locket chain which now held her Eye of Horus, the key and of course the new addition.  
"Good idea, Nins. I need my beauty sleep. Later, everyone!" cooed Amber, and the rest of the group went downstairs whilst the two girls slept on.

 **Okay...I hope you liked this chapter!**

 **The next few chapters, I want to add someone else to the Sibuna Gang. Anyone got any suggestions? Also, any couples that aren't currently together who you hope will get together?**


	6. Chapter 6

The next day, everybody was notified by Trudy that their timetables had been changed.  
"There's a new lesson called Achievement Education," she beamed. "It looks really good! It's not an A Level class but it's there to teach sixth formers how to manage stress and maintain a healthy lifestyle. In honour of it, I made you all a healthy breakfast!"  
A groan emitted from the group until they saw the delicious looking spread Trudy had made them. "Whoa. What are these?" sighed Alfie, stars in his eyes.  
"Chia and cacao cookies, Alfie. Willow gave me the recipe," grinned Trudy, sending the giggling girl a wink. Willow stuffed her face with the cookies.  
"You sure have a wide knowledge about hippy foods, Willow," Mara chuckled affectionately.  
"It's true! Her Mum is _the h_ ippy of our century," agreed Alfie. "She's cool, though."  
"Eat up, kids! The Achievement Ed teacher better appreciate this!" grinned Trudy.

Everybody was a little wary of the new class as they crept in anxiously, but were soon greeted with a beaming grin from Miss Lacy, the gorgeous new teacher.  
"Whoa, she's stunning," remarked KT as she and Willow sat down beside each other.  
"I hope Alfie doesn't fall for her. She looks a bit like Amber," responded Willow, to which KT rolled her eyes.  
"Whatever, Willow," she chuckled. Eddie walked in with the Sibuna gang. "Hey, Eddie, you and Trixie can come sit here – I saved you a seat."  
The duo looked a little uncomfortable. "We kind of promised Nina we'd sit with her," Patricia finally said. KT felt a little rejected, but flashed them a grin nonetheless. "Okay."

"Hello students. My name is Miss Lacy, and I'm your Achievement Education teacher. I am pleased to meet you," sang the teacher in a silky voice.  
"Boy, am I pleased to meet her," smirked Jerome to Alfie. Joy heard this, and shot him a steely glare. Jerome hated this. He hated having a girlfriend, he always had – it seemed that no matter who he fell for, he would soon tire of them. Yet, Mara appealed to him so much – and now she was single, and he longed to be with her. He didn't love Joy like he used to.

Miss Lacy was tall and glamorous, with stunning blue eyes and long, straight blonde hair that seemed to look exactly like Amber's. Her figure was different though, as she was more curvaceous, her thighs, waist and hips beautifully big. She also spoke in a very kind manner, the students noticed, and the lesson was spent learning about the power of hydration. At the end of class, Miss Lacy grinned a huge smile and said: "Next class, we're doing yoga – so bring some clothes you can move around in, okay? See you tomorrow!"

Everybody got up to leave and the noise level rose.  
"Jerome, give me my bag back!" yelled Alfie as Jerome tore out of the class laughing, two rucksacks sharing his back. Willow frowned. "What a meanie," she commented as everybody filed out.  
"I'm going to get you!" screeched Alfie, racing out of the class and banging into Nina, who squealed as she flew to the ground. Her locket snapped and sent everything around her neck crashing to the floor. Quickly, Nina grabbed her medallions and stuffed them in her pocket...but not before Miss Lacy spotted them.  
"Um, Nina?" Miss Lacy coughed. "Have you ever visited the school observatory?"  
Nina looked up, confused. "There's a school observatory?"  
"Yes! We're not an exclusive school for nothing, my love. It's at the bottom of the school gardens, to the far right – a mile from the school, but worth it. You know..." Miss Lacy paused, and led her eyes to the spot where the relics had just been sat. "They say it's where the sunrise can be first seen from the school."  
"Thanks, Miss! I'll be sure to go!" Nina's face exploded into a grin as she raced outside, stuffing the key and amulet into her bag and catching up with Amber, Fabian, Eddie and Patricia.

"Guys! I'm pretty sure Miss Lacy knows about this mystery, and knows more than us – because she pretty much directed me to where I need to go!" Nina burst out, causing everyone to stare.  
"Wait, back up – how does Miss Lacy know?" Eddie asked, suspicious.  
"I don't know. All I know is that at the bottom of the school gardens, to the right, about a mile from the academy there is the school observatory. It's where the sunrise can be seen first!" Nina buzzed, pulling out the second poem that she had scrawled down after listening to the recording. " _Where night becomes day_ is totally talking about the sunrise, which can be seen first at the observatory. _Zoom in on the stars, listen to the music play_ You zoom in on stars at the observatory, right? I don't know about the music, but I bet there's some kind of music involved at the observatory, we'll find out later. _Where the sunrise is seen first and the sky is well-known_ is pretty self explanatory. I mean, the sunrise is seen first – and the observatory observes the sky so...it's well-known. Finally, _Where the cylinder will show you all that can be shown –_ I'm thinking this cylinder is a telescope." Nina grinned, triumphant.  
"I think you might be right, Nins!" Amber sung, pulling her best friend into a hug.

That evening, Trudy was serving up turkey.  
"Is it Christmas or something?" jested Alfie. "Ignore me, Trudes! Turkey is fabulous all year round!"  
Trudy chuckled. "You lot deserve a treat – I hear you've got your mock exams coming up next month!"  
Nina's face clouded with stress. A mystery, a play and mock exams? Her life was clogged up with everything.  
"Speaking of treats – when can we...uh, talk about _us_ , Nina?" whispered Fabian from beside her, and suddenly, she began to panic. Okay – a mystery, a play, mock exams, and a semi-sort-of-relationship to keep up.  
"I don't know Fabian," she rushed. "Sometime, okay? Just – let me get other stuff out of the way first." Nina didn't look at Fabian's reaction, but if she had, she would've seen his baby face fall. They continued the meal talking to others – but not each other.

The gang had planned to go to the observatory at night, but not before Patricia hung out in Eddie's room to read Jerome's diary. "This is going to be brilliant Yacker," scoffed Jerome. "We can totally make fun of the doofus."  
"Hey, you're the doofus," winked Patricia. She leaned forward slightly to place a kiss on his full lips, which she intended to be short and sweet. However, they both held on, his hands sliding up her back and ending up in her hair, hers in a fixed position on his chest. When they broke apart, they were both breathless, as usual.  
"Is it impossible for us to have short kisses?" Patricia laughed, and Eddie chuckled.  
"I think so," he grinned. "Now open Jerry's diary!"

 _Dear Diary,  
Ugh. I still can't write Dear Diary. I'm not a 5 year old girl. Okay._

 _Notebook,  
I am not happy right now. Okay, Joy's just left my room – finally – and I'm about to watch a zombie film with Alfie. She made me sit through an hour of some tacky show about shopping or whatever, something I'm definitely not into. This relationship is getting stale, and Mara seems to be getting prettier every day. I miss Mara. There, I said it. I miss how close we used to be, and how when we were together, everything was great until I messed up. I miss how she would sit through zombie films with me, and even enjoy it because of the medical accuracy. _

_Oh crap, Joy just came back in so I had to hide you, notebook. But now she's gone again. She left some bobbles or something, but I'm pretty sure it was just another excuse to kiss me, because she picked up her stupid bobbles and then kissed me. Man, it's just not the same anymore. I miss Mara._

"Whoa," said Eddie. "That's not even something we can make fun of him for."  
But Patricia was fuming. "How dare he say those things about Joy? And even think about Mara while he's with her? I can't believe it!" And she snatched up the book and stormed to Jerome's room where he was slouching on his bed watching _Pretty Little Liars_ with Joy.  
"Oh, hey Patricia," smiled Joy. "Are you okay?"  
"No, I'm not. Look what I found, Weasel," Patricia said, her words stabbing like knives. Jerome's face went from indifference to sheer panic when he saw the notebook in her hand.  
"Patricia, not now-"  
"Yes, now! I won't let you drag it out any longer! Joy, read this!" And Patricia chucked the diary to her friend who caught it deftly, and flipped to the page Patricia had folded over. Jerome attempted to grab the book from her clutches, but she read it quickly, and her eyes filled with tears.  
"How could you say that? How could you – how could write that down on paper, Jerome?" she whispered. Droplets ambled down her cheeks in waterfalls, and Patricia stood angrily watching Jerome's response. He tried to wipe the tears with his hand, but she pushed him away.  
"No, Jerome. It's over," Joy said, and grabbed Patricia's arm to tug her out of the room.

Once they were out of the room, Joy burst fully into floods of tears. Patricia pulled her into an embrace, repeating: "It'll be okay. It'll be okay."


	7. Chapter 7

_**Okay guys...so in this chapter, I'm going to start adding a few 'POVs' in – do tell me if you preferred it when it was ALL in 3**_ _ **rd**_ _ **person though. Xx**_

At precisely midnight, when Victor's snoring was audible all around the house, the Sibuna gang crept out from their beds and slipped into the hall, all in their own versions of sleep attire. Amber was wearing a chilly-looking pink Nightie with a long grey cardigan, Nina wearing a long-sleeved white top layered beneath a short-sleeved lilac top, and pants patterned with cookies. Patricia wore an oversized band tee that looked like it might have once belonged to Eddie, paired with plain purple pyjama bottoms, Fabian in rather boring grey jammies, and Eddie wearing a different band tee to Patricia's but looking equally as punky.  
"Babe, you're wearing my tee!" cooed Eddie, grabbing his girlfriend in a kiss.  
"Uh...guys? This is Sibuna business, not d a date," Fabian said, rather awkwardly. "Besides, Eddie, we need your full attention. You need to pick this lock, Victor locks it every night."

Eddie nodded, and got down on one knee, using a hairpin of Amber's to speedily unlock the door.  
When the lock gave, the gang slid outside where each of them turned on their torches. Fear gripped Patricia suddenly, and she found herself holding Eddie's hand in the dark, which made the boy smile as he remembered the first few months of their relationship was so distant and anti-touchy feely.  
"Okay, I brought the school leaflet with me," Fabian announced, bringing out the advertisement from his pocket.  
"Good for you?" Amber scrunched her brows together.  
"They have a map of the gardens on the back. Look, there's the observatory." Fabian pointed at a dome-shame on the map, and Nina grinned.  
"Let's go, you guys! But keep quiet, okay?"

The gardens were eerie in the dark, the sculpted hedge art resembling sinister figures, the trees reaching out with long, bony fingers, the wind speaking in hateful hisses, warding the children away from the observatory.  
"Okay, who thought it'd be a fun idea to come out here at midnight?" Amber cried, Nina pulling an arm around the shivering girl. Amber found herself wishing Alfie was here to hold her, like Eddie was holding Patricia. She pushed the thought from her mind.  
"Me, got anything to say about it?" threatened Patricia. She softened. "Anyway, I figured it'd better if we caught the sunrise. It might be crucial to find the box."  
"Nina, did you remember the key and amulet?" Fabian whispered, subtly lacing his fingers amongst Nina's. Nina's body filled with warmth and love. This was the first time they'd held hands – or touched in a none-friendship way – since Mara.

"Yeah, they're on my necklace," said Nina. "Why is it so cold out here?"  
"I'm freezing. Care to cuddle, Yacker?" smirked Eddie, deviating from the topic.  
"You wish, doofus," snorted Patricia, snuggling closer anyway. The cold was her excuse.  
"Ugh, this is gross. I'm like – fifth wheeling," grimaced Amber. "Are we there yet?"  
"Almost! Look, this is the row of star hedges. That means we're close," Patricia pointed out. Amber began humming something tunelessly.  
"What are you singing there, Ambs?" Eddie perked a brow.  
Amber grinned. "I thought you'd never ask!" She cleared her throat, then sang gently: " _I been walking...after midnight...in the moonlight..."_ Surprisingly, when she used vowels, Amber had the voice of an angel. A voice of an enchantress, Alfie had said before. Amber sighed.

"Is that it? That dome thing?" Eddie asked.  
"Yep, we're here! Eddie, your skills might come in handy again..." Fabian grinned, and Eddie nodded once more. "On it." Racing ahead, Eddie had unlocked the observatory in time for the others to catch up.

"You guys," he called. "There's a load of musical instruments down here. Classical, not my thing, but...it fits with the poem."  
"I knew it!" beamed Nina. "Quick, let's get up to the stargazing part!" She raced inside – before spluttering.  
"What's up, Nins?" asked Amber, concerned.  
"It's – dusty – in – here!" coughed Nina. "Cover – your – mouths!"  
The group did so, covering their mouths as they crept up the observatory stairs into the main room. "Man, this place is _old,_ " commented Eddie. "Like crazy old."  
"About as old as you look, old man," Patricia retorted, snide as ever.  
"About as old as you actually are. Is that a grey hair?" Eddie bit back, grinning.

"You guys, do you think we have to like – follow the instructions the poem gives us?" Amber asked, after five minutes of the group scouring the room for any clues. "You know. Someone zoom in on the stars with the telescope whilst listening to someone else play music downstairs."  
"Amber, you genius!" cried Nina. "Okay...anyone play any classical instruments?"  
There was a pause. A long, empty pause, and then Eddie inhaled deeply.  
"Okay, don't laugh, but – I used to be kind of famous for playing the flute back in America."

Patricia burst out laughing. "You? Eddie? Flautist? I'd love to hear that!"  
"And you will!" Nina grinned. "Eddie, can you go play some flute music downstairs for us?"  
Eddie shot Patricia a glare. "Sure." He clattered downstairs pretty noisily.  
"Okay. So, how do we open up this thing?" Fabian wondered, staring at the ceiling.  
"Maybe by pressing this 'Open Ceiling' button?" Patricia said sarcastically, prodding the button. Screeching with age, the ceiling pulled itself open and a huge, gorgeous starry sky revealed itself, glittering amorously.

"Whoa," Nina gasped, in awe. Suddenly, a beautiful, delicate sound of flute music floated up into the room and Patricia's eyes shone a little.  
"He's pretty amazing," she said softly, very un-Patricia. "Uh – I mean – ha, what a loser!"  
Nina raised a brow, but used the telescope to zoom into the stars. "I think we have to stay here until sunrise..."

Two hours later, Eddie was still downstairs, emitting gorgeous (yet angry – I mean, this was boring as heck!) noises from the old flute, and the sun was finally beginning to arrive. Everybody was kind of sleepy, but seeing the huge orb of orange woke them up.  
"It looks exactly like the window in the attic," gasped Amber, in awe. She raced up to the telescope and gazed through it.

Suddenly, letters appeared on the lens of the telescope.  
 _Well done, you have found both the box and key. The treasure that awaits is still a mystery._

Amber read the words aloud, and suddenly the bookcase in the observatory fell down with a huge clatter to reveal a panel that slid outwards – revealing a wooden box.

"Yay, we've found it! Eddie, come on up!" sang Amber. They all heard Eddie scream 'FINALLY' downstairs, before he rushed up to greet them. Excitedly, Nina unlocked the box, opened it to reveal two crowns – one a dainty silver tiara with blue gems, the other a golden, thick grown embedded with rubies.  
"Oh, _pretty!_ " Amber sighed, picking up the silver tiara and placing it on her blonde head. Suddenly, it glowed bright red and Amber screamed in pain, sending the tiara to the ground. Amber was weeping now, her forehead blistering immediately.  
"Water, water anyone?" Nina asked, panicked.  
"Here!" Fabian dragged some water out of his back pack filled with Egyptian books that he hoped would come in handy. Nina splashed the water over Amber's burn marks.

"What was that?" Patricia frowned, picking up the tiara and examining it further. "Look, there's words here! ' _Only for the Chosen One'_. This tiara's for you and you alone, Nina," Patricia said, handing the tiara to Nina who gingerly placed it on her head – and it did not burn her.  
"What's the other one?" Fabian asked, picking up the thicker crown and reading: ' _Only for the Osirian'.  
_ "What? But I'm not the Osirian anymore!" frowned Eddie. "I thought it was over."  
"Maybe it is," comforted Patricia. "Try it on. It might not work." But as Eddie gingerly placed the crown upon his head, there was no burns, and the gold seemed to glimmer all the more as if it was connected to its rightful owner. "Oh," said Eddie, disappointed. "I guess I'm still the Osirian, then."  
"Pretty rubbish treasure if it's only for two people," whimpered Amber, renewing her water on the blisters. Patricia rubbed her back kindly.

With the two students donning their crowns, the telescope crumbled to the ground, shrinking in on itself, the silver casing evolving into something golden and blue, much more precious looking.

Nina grabbed at the cylinder, and across it, it read: ' _The Chosen One and Osirian united at last. Together, find the secret treasure I have found. I have kept this safe for my entire life – but now I am gone, if you do not find it, those who will can use it for great evil. Find the treasure, and destroy it.'_  
"Whoa," muttered Eddie, taking off the crown.  
Nina looked up at him sadly. "My thoughts exactly. Let's call it a night, guys." Nina took off her crown, and they locked them up in the box again.  
"Jerome might have a safe...but so do I. I may have bought it for important stuff like this. We can hide it so lock-picking is impossible, but for now, I'll carry it back in my bag," Fabian offered helpfully, and Nina slid the box into his back pack.  
"I'll keep the key. The box and key should always be kept apart, so if Victor gets one-"  
"He doesn't have the other," finished Eddie, smiling warmly at Nina. "You guys go on ahead, me and Patricia will close up the observatory.

 **PATRICIA'S POV**

"What's up?" I asked, when the others were gone. A smirk played on Eddie's lips.  
"Oh, nothing. I just thought...a sunrise is kind of romantic, no?" he whispered, leaning forward and kissing me. "Maybe we can sneak here more often...not on Sibuna business?"  
I laughed.  
"Sure, why not?" We kissed again, before Eddie broke away rapidly.

"Okay, I lied. Something's up. This whole Osirian thing – I'm confused, I'm kind of scared. I don't like it at all," Eddie babbled. "I love you, and I don't want to lose you. Can you...opt out of Sibuna?"  
"Hell no! I've been in this boat much longer than you, idiot, and it's scary, but I love it." The anger of being pushed out faded as I saw the genuine, vulnerable fear in his eyes and my fingers touched his burning flesh (was it a Chosen One thing to have constantly boiling skin or something?) and pulled him closer.  
"Don't be scared, Eddie, because then I'll be scared too. Eddie..."  
"Yeah?"  
I looked up into those eyes, those lips. "I'm in love with you, Eddie."  
Eddie leaned forward, as if he was going to kiss me, and he stopped, inches from me.  
"I love you more than anything, Yacker. I love you more than midnight snacks. I love you more than snacks full stop. I look at you – and I – I'm not myself, I feel weird, everything's weird. I'm not going to pretend I've never been in a relationship before, because I have, and I thought I loved every single one of those girls until I met you. That wasn't love. That was just – like. Because love with you – God, I sound stupid..."  
"No. No, go on," I teased, heart racing.  
"Love with you is like I'm walking through hell, flames everywhere, and then jumping into cool, clean, fresh water. My life is a mess, Yacker. You're my cool, clean, fresh water. The only good bit."

"Oh my god, Eddie," I said, breathless from what he just said. I looked at the lips, at the eyes. My hand found his shoulder, then his cheek, and then I kissed him with more passion and meaning that ever. He seemed a little surprised, before pulling me close so that there was no distance between us at all. Suddenly, I had an urge to tell him how he made me feel too. These kisses, they filled me with bravery. I leaned back, so that our bodies were still touching, arching my back only so that I could speak. He looked confused.

"Loving you is new for me. I have never been in love before, and I don't think I'll ever feel this _intensely_ again. I hated you so much at the beginning. It filled every bone in my body. Love is just the same, but...positive. It fills every bone, and when I look at your eyes, or your lips, I want to kiss you. I know it doesn't seem like it but when I'm around you, I don't need my force field, my barrier. I've let you into my world, Eddie. _You are_ my world."  
I noticed tears form in Eddie's eyes as his face cracked into a grin. "Yacker, I want to lock this door and we can stay in here for the whole term," he laughed, pressing me against the wall and kissing me.  
"Me too, but...we've got to get some sleep," I said, sadly. "Let's get back to the House."

 **Peddie is always good, right guys?**


	8. Chapter 8

"Don't you think it's weird that we haven't met this 'Harold' caretaker yet?" frowned Willow at the breakfast table the next morning. "I haven't even sensed a new aura or anything!"  
"Yeah. I kind of miss Victor," snorted Jerome. "At least we knew he was alive. Where does this Harold even stay?"  
"For your information," interrupted Trudy, placing a bowl of raspberry porridge on the table, "Harold is also the caretaker for Osiris house, alright? He stays there. He's lovely!"  
"So we're sharing a caretaker with another house? Wow. My Daddy would not be happy,"

Suddenly, a slam was heard and a tall, looming, familiar figure appeared in the doorway.  
"Victor?" gasped Trudy. "You're back!"  
"Yes, Trudy," said Victor. He looked dreary. Tired, and weather beaten, and rough. "Mr Sweet gave me my job back. I'm going to my office." And with that poor explanation, he was gone, and the students were gobsmacked.  
"He wasn't gone long," commented Eddie. "What happened to 'his destiny'?"  
"I don't know, but I'm betting it has something to do with this mystery," replied Nina. "It'll be a lot more difficult sneaking out with Victor back."  
"Where's Joy, Patricia? This is her favourite breakfast," frowned Trudy, and the entire table shot Jerome murderous looks. He put his hands up.  
"In my defence, I just didn't love her anymore. I couldn't stay with her!" he protested.  
"Shut it, Weasel. We all know exactly why you broke up with her, don't we?" Patricia spat. Mara looked extremely uncomfortable as the group's gaze fell upon her.  
"I didn't ask for him to like me, did I? I've got to get to class," she spluttered, grabbing her rucksack and escaping.  
"Good job, guys," sighed Jerome, going after her.

 **JOY'S POV**

I didn't want to go to school. I didn't want to face Jerome. The words in his diary entry repeated in my mind every time I pictured his face. _Mara. Mara. Mara._ I didn't even blame him; she was gorgeous, and it had always been her, for him. I was stupid to think he could ever love me after he loved her. And yet the relationship had been progressing so well...I had found myself so close to him that I was willing to tell him my biggest secret. I was centimetres from telling him. But the secret still twisted inside me, something I didn't know what to do with, how people would react if I told them.

"Joy, everyone's gone. You've got to go to school, love," came the soft voice of Trudy, but I turned away. She couldn't see my tear-streaked face. "Listen, Jerome Clarke is not worth this. You are way out of his league, lovey, and he's just one boy."  
"Don't you get it, Trudy?" whispered Joy. "It's not just that. It's that I'm always second best. I've never been first – with Fabian, and now with Jerome. He loves Mara."  
"Okay, darling, you stay home today and we can chat about it," Trudy cooed. "But come downstairs for some solo breakfast, alright?"

Nodding, I followed Trudy downstairs.

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

Meanwhile, Jerome was trying to catch up with Mara on the way to school.  
"Mar! Wait up!" he called, finally catching her arm and pulling her to face him. Her face looked bewildered and confused.  
"What, Clarke?" she asked, voice vulnerable and quiet.  
"Mara, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for screwing up things for you and Joy, okay? But I can't ignore how I feel. I thought I stopped loving you, but...it was just dormant, like a volcano. And now the lava is coming out, and I can't stop it, because this is how I feel," burbled Jerome, raking a hand through his hair. Mara looked panic-stricken, but softened at the tone of his gentle voice.  
"You know I love science metaphors," she giggled, and Jerome melted. "But you haven't been nice to me. There will always be a part of me that loves you, Jerome, but I've learnt to fear it because I don't want you to cheat on me again, or – I don't know, I don't want to stumble across a nasty diary entry at my expense. The short relationship I had with Fabian was what love should be like. It shouldn't be something to fear."

And then Mara was walking away, but each step away from Jerome hurt her, because the feelings for him that she'd tried desperately to hide over time _were showing._

In the common room later on, Nina whipped out the cylinder.  
"Where can we find the next clue?" asked Eddie.  
"Well, this is supposed to show us all that can be shown, so there's probably some other clue. Can we smash the lens and look inside?" Nina wondered, and the gang shrugged, so she grabbed the sharp end of her compass and quickly smashed the lens, binning the glass and turning the cylinder upside down. A rolled-up piece of parchment fell out. "Bingo!"

 _Back into tunnels of the Anubis Mask  
The Chamber of Sobek, then the second task  
There your next clue, and true key, will await  
Unless you meet your dark, dim fate._

"Oh no. We have to go down into the tunnels again – and to the task with bridge, no less!" squealed Amber, sighing deeply. "Mysteries, mysteries, mysteries...what am I going to do with you?"  
"So let me get this straight...we go down, and get a clue and a key...or we die?" Eddie challenged, silently begging for someone to disagree.  
"Yeah," everyone nodded.  
"Well damn," said Eddie. 


	9. Chapter 9

**JOY'S POV**

Trudy was nice to me all day. It felt good to have a motherly figure in my life – someone who wouldn't just take me away from school so that they could have eternal life. She was kind to me, making me my favourite lunch (macaroni and cheese) and even roping me in to make cupcakes.  
"Now, tell me what's wrong, love. It can't all be Jerome," Trudy said as she squeezed pink icing onto one of the many cupcakes. I grimaced. I could literally feel my secret swirling inside me uncomfortably.  
"I can't really tell you," I whispered. "I don't know you'll react. I don't know how anyone will react. I haven't even accepted it myself yet."  
Trudy's eyes drifted to meet mine. "Secrets aren't healthy, dearie. I care about you, I can't have you looking so glum all the time."  
Then I saw my chance. A window, somebody I could tell. Trudy wouldn't judge me, surely.

I inhaled deeply, eyes falling to my hands. "I think I'm bisexual, Trudy." The silence that followed was deafening, although it was just a second. Then, Trudy's hand fell over mine and I looked up at her.  
"Love, you haven't changed – you've just discovered something new about yourself, and that's fine. Who you like is personal to you, and it doesn't matter in the slightest if you're crushing on somebody the same gender as you. Everybody loves you just the same because it doesn't matter," she smiled, the warmth in her words swirling around me and making my skin tingle.  
"You think?" I grinned.  
"I know," she replied. Suddenly, everything felt a little lighter. It didn't matter that Jerome didn't stick by me long enough for me to trust him fully, or that I still loved him painfully. I wanted everybody to know. I didn't want to sit on the secret anymore, or be cramped in a closet. I wanted out.

 **NINA'S POV (at school still)**

As I was walking to History, Miss Lacy caught me in the hallway.  
"Nina, did you go to the observatory?" she whispered. "You can trust me."  
"I don't know what you mean," I lied, wondering why she wanted to know.  
"Come in here. We must speak," Miss Lacy said, beckoning me into her classroom. "I have a free period."  
"I have to get to History-"  
"I'll write you a note. Come on in."

So, I followed Miss Lacy inside and sat down.  
"My second name is not Lacy," she told me. I frowned, not understanding. "My name is Annabelle Frobisher-Smythe."  
A gasp escaped my lips. "You're a descendant?"  
"Yes, I am. You met my aunt, Sarah, I think, but she didn't tell you that she had a brother, Edward – I presume she forgot him in her elderly mind, because she didn't know him well. He left at age 15 to go to war, and when he returned, he couldn't go back to the house. He said it was evil." Annabelle shivered. "I get what he meant. Anyway, he started a new life with my mother, Jane – they married, and had me. But then my grandparents died, and so we returned to the house. Father felt terrible for leaving, but in the will, my grandparents gave me a letter. Nobody else has read it to this day, but I want you to." Annabelle handed me a dusty page with the familiar handwriting, the same as the scrawl on each clue.

 _My dear granddaughter Annabelle, whom I have never met,  
My husband and I have a dangerous treasure concealed in the house. In the wrong hands, the world would be endangered if it was found. I do not want you to look for it, but instead, in the year 2013, I would like you to return to the House of Anubis. There will be the Chosen One and the Osirian, the only ones who can find and destroy this evil treasure properly. You must find them, and assist them, for the world's sake._

 _Your estranged grandmother._

"Whoa," Nina gasped. "Wait – how did you know we had to go to the observatory?"  
"I didn't, not really. It was my grandmother's favourite place in the grounds, so I knew that if you were in search of something, you would probably find it there. Do you know the Osirian?" Annabelle pressed.  
"Yes, I do. And we are searching for the treasure, and we will destroy it," I grinned, adrenalin filling my veins. "But how can you help us?"  
"I have this." Annabelle passed a small, leather-bound book to me. "It's my grandmother's diary – it's how I knew the observatory was her favourite place. Through this, I know her well. I suggest you read it too. Now quickly, off to class!"

I left feeling breathless. An entire part of the family that we didn't know existed, and I had just met one! This was mental – insane! I carried my secret through school until I met with the Sibuna gang back at the House.

 **3** **rd** **PERSON**

"Okay guys," Nina grinned, secrets sitting patiently at the back of her teeth. "So Miss Lacy is not who you think she is."  
"Plastic surgery? I knew it. No one is that flawless," Amber put neatly, flicking her blonde locks.  
"No! Her name is Annabelle Frobisher-Smythe – she's Sarah's niece!" Nina cried.  
"What?" Fabian gasped, and several other similar gasps echoed around the group.  
"Yep! She gave me the tip about the observatory because she'd read it in Sarah's diary that it was her favourite place. Look!" Nina unveiled the diary, causing more gasps to occur. "I'm reading it tonight."  
"This is awesome!" Patricia grinned. "The diary is one big fat clue."  
"One big fat awesome clue," agreed Eddie, slinging his arm around her.

"Let's go down into the tunnels tomorrow, guys," Nina decided. "I'm going to skim read this tonight – and then go to sleep." Nina grinned. "But first, let's eat. I'm starving."

Trudy was serving up a huge pizza with an array of different vegetables but it still tasted delicious. Everybody sat down, but noticed that Joy wasn't at the table.  
"I'll go get her," decided Patricia, but then the brunette beauty entered the room and caused a silence to swell over the table. She mustered a small smile and took her place.  
"Are you okay, Joy?" whispered Mara, and Joy nodded, flashing a reassuring grin.  
"I want to tell you all something," Joy announced, finally raising her eyes to look at her peers. They all looked at her expectantly. "As you know, me and Jerome split up...and I didn't go to school to because I was sad."  
"Drama queen, much," muttered Jerome, defending himself, but Joy just chuckled.  
"No, don't feel bad, Jerome. I wasn't sad entirely because of our break up, okay?" she whispered. "Look, I know it's sad we're not together – but you can't be with me if it doesn't make you happy. Anyway, I've been feeling really, really down for awhile now. Six months, actually."  
"Whoa. I never noticed – what's up?" asked Patricia, her hand squeezing her friend's.  
"Six months ago I realised something about myself that I've kept a secret. And having it just sitting inside me has killed me. I almost told Jerome, but..." Joy trailed off.  
"What is it?" Mara asked.

Joy took a deep breath. "I'm bisexual. And before you ask, no. I don't fancy any of you."  
"We weren't going to ask, stupid," grinned Patricia. "And it wouldn't have mattered. It doesn't matter who you fancy, you're still you. My awesome best friend."  
"I second that!" nodded Mara. "You're amazing, no matter who you're crushing on."  
"You're still Joy," nodded Fabian. "We love Joy." The entire table erupted into agreement, everybody putting in words of positivity that sent Joy's lips cascading into a grin. Then, Jerome stood up and walked out of the room. Joy walked after him, a déjà vu of when they first connected so long ago.

"Jerome, what's wrong?" she asked, nervous. He turned around, and she saw a tear slipping over his features. "Look, I can't help who I am. I don't care if it makes you feel like an idiot. I like girls and boys, okay?"  
"No. No, no, no please don't think these tears are because I'm mad at you, you idiot!" smiled Jerome, walking towards Joy and lacing his fingers in hers. "It's because I wish you'd have told me. I wish I'd been there for you. I know I don't love you anymore, but I'll always be there for you." And he pulled her into a tight squeeze, a squeeze that set her heart on fire.

Upstairs, Nina Martin's eyebrows furrowed as she scanned the diary of Sarah's mother. It was a much more interesting diary than her husband's from last year, and it was full to the brim of Egyptian knowledge – it was clear she was a fan. She also spoke of Sarah, and of her prettiness, and she spoke of Robert.

 _Today, my husband left for an archaeological dig. I desperately wanted to go with him, but we are not in a good place with our marriage currently. Egyptian relics brought us together, and it seems that Egyptian relics are tearing us apart. Robert has successfully hidden the Mask of Anubis in tunnels, as we planned, and has hidden the Cup of Ankh for fear of what people would do if they had those artefacts – but Robert has taken the Shen Honey and I fear the worst. I must retrieve it – steal it – anything. I must get it back, hide it, until the Osirian and Chosen One can destroy it. The Mask of Anubis and Cup of Ankh were vital ingredients for eternal life...Shen Honey is eternity._

Nina gasped, and grasped her laptop, tapping out: Shen Honey.  
 _Shen: The Egyptian symbol for eternity.  
_ "Oh my god. Eternal life, all over again!" Nina cried, legging it to Fabian's room where he was strumming his guitar gently.  
"Oh, hey Nina. What's up?" Fabian grinned, face crumbling into concern when he saw Nina's face. "What's up?"  
"More like – more like what's down! I've made a breakthrough, Fabian, through reading this diary. Look," Nina said hurriedly, passing Fabian the diary and pointing to the passage talking about the Shen Honey. "I think the ultimate treasure we are searching for and destroying...is honey."  
"What?" chuckled Fabian. "Honey's not treasure- wait. What does it mean, 'Shen Honey is eternity'?"  
Nina inhaled. "I don't know fully, but I'm pretty sure it is the exact, correct, ready-made elixir of life, and we need to destroy it before it's used for evil. Look – 'Shen' means eternity, so it's essentially Eternity Honey."  
"How did the Frobisher-Smythes get their hands on this – this Eternity Honey?" Fabian wondered aloud – the family hoarded Egyptian relics, matters of great importance.  
"I don't know, but Honey linked with Egypt rings a bell. Like they've been paired before. We've _got_ to share this info with the group, and get down to the tunnels as soon as possible!"

Nina and Fabian gathered Sibuna up later on, and spilled their new information.  
"I knew honey was good, but I didn't realise it was _that_ good," Amber commented.  
"Hey, wasn't a pot of honey found in Tutankhamen's tomb? I heard it on the news – a pot of honey was found, perfectly edible, in the tomb. Maybe Robert stole it," Patricia grinned, enjoying her light bulb moment.  
"Jeez, was there anything he _didn't_ steal from that tomb?" grimaced Fabian, chuckling nonetheless.  
"That was where I heard Egypt and honey mentioned together! Either that or History classes – honey was a super popular remedy in Ancient Egypt," Nina nodded knowledgably.  
"This is huge news. I hope Victor doesn't find out...he'd be on the ready-made elixir wagon as quick as light," Patricia muttered. "He's been at this recipe for years."  
"We can't mention it around him at all, then. Hey, can we go down to those 'tunnels' tonight? I've never been," Eddie shrugged. The rest of the gang exchanged knowing looks.  
"That's what you think," sang Patricia, and everybody cleared off, leaving Eddie alone and confused.

That night, the Sibuna gang gathered in the cellar, each shivering like the times before.  
"Nostalgia," sighed Nina, applying the code to the bookshelves. "Did everyone remember to bring their amulets? Here, Eddie, you can wear Alfie's." Nina passed him the crocodile amulet as the bookshelf swung open and they stepped into Robert's office.  
"Whoa," Eddie breathed, dazed. "So all those times I assumed Yacker was cheating – she was rootling around in a moth-bitten office? Figures."  
Patricia whacked him. "Hey, I could've been cheating if I wanted!"  
"But you didn't, and that's what counts, right?" winked Eddie, sliding on his amulet. The group scanned themselves through into the tunnels and passed through the completed tasks until they reached the crocodile bridge.  
"I'm sensing a crocodile theme," remarked Eddie.  
"Now we're here I don't know what to do," Nina struggled. "The clue didn't tell us where to look, other than this task."  
"Maybe the crowns are important," Amber suggested. "Maybe when the room knows the Osirian and Chosen One are here..."  
" _Genius,_ again! Fabian, are the crowns still in your safe?" Nina said excitedly.  
"Nope," Fabian smirked. "They're here!" And he unzipped his bulky backpack and revealed the box. "You still have the key, right?"

Nina had attached her amulet and the key to her Eye of Horus locket, and so slipped the key off the piece of string to unlock the box. She and Eddie donned the headpieces and waited.  
"Nothing's happening," pointed out Patricia, to which Eddie commented:  
"Well done, Captain Obvious."  
Then suddenly, a figure appeared at the end of the bridge. "This is scary," whimpered Amber.

"Osirian and Chosen One," spoke the figure, in a monotonous voice. "At last, you have come. Generations have passed, I have lived in this chamber."  
"Who are you?" called out Nina, frightened.  
"The Guardian. I am a spirit, though you are not unfamiliar with my kind," replied the figure, who was now becoming closer. The spirit was female, with a gentle, kind face and white robes, contrasting with the evil spirit, Senkhara, Nina knew from last year.  
"Am I seeing things?" frowned Eddie, and Patricia pinched him.  
" _Do not hurt the Osirian!"_ screamed the spirit, turning dark and holding out her hands in a Senkhara-esque way, two perfect circles imprinted on her hand. Eddie stood in front of Patricia, guarding her. "Dude, it's called friendly banter. She's my girlfriend, leave her alone," he shouted at the spirit, who cursed and turned away.

"Louisa Frobisher-Smythe did not tell me there would be extras," she went on, back to her previous tone.  
"Well, there is. Can you show us the clue we were promised, or?" Eddie said with cheek.  
The spirit seemed to smile. "Yes, you are definitely the Osirian. I am happy to show you your clues, and then I shall be freed from this life."  
"Who are you?" asked Nina, and the spirit turned to her.  
"I am a Guardian, Chosen One. I have seen you, Nina Martin, as you braved these tunnels. I have watched over you since you arrived, and watched over Eddie Miller as he arrived. In life, I was the best friend of Louisa Frobisher-Smythe. My name is unimportant, but I am called Lavender Alcott. When Louisa told me of this elixir of life, and of Robert's plans to use it, I had to help her. She stole the honey from him, and together we hid it with clues that only the Chosen One and Osirian could decode. Louisa planned to be become the Guardian herself in death...but she was murdered, and so did not prepare herself properly for the afterlife. I then decided that _I_ would take her place as the Guardian, and so I performed the ritual, and have hidden myself in this chamber until now, as a spirit to protect the Chosen One and Osirian, and to give them the key, the true key."

The Sibuna gang were lost for words at the information. In their silence, Lavender sunk back and glowed pure white, before shooting rays of light at the walls. Words painted themselves upon the left wall, while a slab of rock from the right wall fell and crashed into the abyss below and a large, dusty key showed itself.  
"Now, I can be freed from the Shen Spirit that I became. Thank you. And good luck!" And then, Lavender was gone.

"Okay, that was all dramatic and stuff but...how are we supposed to get that key? We can't exactly lean over on the bridge, or we'll die," Amber huffed.  
"...And that would be our dark, dim fate," uttered Fabian softly. "I hoped we were done with these kinds of tasks last year."  
"What kind of tasks?" asked Eddie.  
"Life threatening ones," answered Amber."

"We can't go back into the house – we have to figure this out now, or Victor might come into the tunnels and take the key!" Nina panicked. "There's got to be a way. A simple way, or Lavender wouldn't have just left!"  
Nina ran out onto the bridge, knowing that the pendulums were now out of order, and stared at the key, a metre away.  
"Can you read out the words first, Nins?" called Amber, and Nina nodded, turning around.

" _The place in the House that I despised forever  
Where Robert and Susanne were one  
Is where a tomb lays, and nobody has ever  
Finished the tasks or begun."_

"That makes zero sense," Fabian remarked, scribbling it down in his notebook. "But we'll make sense of it. Nina, come back from the bridge."  
"No!" shouted Nina. "I'm not leaving! I won't let Victor take the lead, not this time!" Nina's panic rose and she swayed backwards, screeching as she felt herself lose balance.

" _NINA!"_ screamed Fabian.

Nina grabbed onto the bridge with both hands...and a second crocodile sprouted on the right side, a bridge leading to the key. Realising too late that it was because her locket was pressed against an Eye of Horus shaped dent in the bridge, Nina struggled to keep her grasp. Ignoring the cries of her friends, Nina hauled herself back onto the bridge and breathed a sigh of relief.  
"Okay, come back. I can get the key – Osirian, remember?" Eddie said worriedly, but Nina didn't listen, running forward and grabbing the key before making her way back.  
"We have the key to the Shen Honey, guys. But I think there'll be a bit of a maze in that tomb," she grinned, looking more than a little ecstatic. "But, hey. I'm excited."

 _ **On rereading my chapters, I make a few mistakes. For instance, I say 'Victor always locks the door' before he comes back, etc. Please forgive me! Xx**_


	10. Chapter 10

The following day was the annual Sixth Form play-day, which meant that all students involved in the school play were off timetable to work on it. The students of Anubis House involved in the play were Amber (Juliet), Alfie (Romeo), Willow (Rosaline), Jerome (Benvolio – he had been roped into this by Alfie) and of course, the writers Mara and Nina. The idea of the play was that it was a modern version of the original story, and so Mara and Nina had written the play as if the Capulets were upper-class people and the Montagues were rough rebels. In the original Shakespearean play, Juliet is thirteen, but of course Nina and Mara made both Juliet and Romeo eighteen so that they were at least _legal._

It was the start of the play-day, and Nina and Mara were chatting in the auditorium, ready for the first full run with scripts.  
"You know, I never knew Alfie was a good actor," remarked Mara. "Or Amber."  
"Amber's talented at pretty much everything, so I'm not surprised – but generally I just think they have good chemistry," replied Nina.  
"Willow must hate this whole situation," frowned Mara. "I mean, her mother cast her as Rosaline! Romeo's lover at the start of the play, who he basically discards for Juliet."  
"Harsh, yes, but she's not as good as Amber at playing a star-crossed lover, I guess. Hey, they're coming on!"

A few scenes past until the scene where Romeo and Juliet meet, which in this version of the play, took place in a Capulet Christmas party. (Juliet is a Capulet).

 **ALFIE'S POV**

My breath caught in my throat as Amber walked onstage in her uniform, holding up the masquerade mask prop to her face, her arm looped around some Year 9. Amber made the perfect Juliet. In character, I turned to a nameless character and said: "Who's that girl who just walked in?"  
"I don't know, man," replied the character. Letting my eyes shine bright, fixing my gaze upon the girl, I spoke each scripted word as if I had written them.  
"She's beautiful," I uttered. "Look at her hair. It's like gold, dude, and – man, her eyes! She's like – like, a gem!"  
"Hey!" yelled Tybalt. "I can tell that imposter's a Montague! How dare he bring his filthy pauper face to our party – in a disguise, no less! Someone get my gun!"  
"No, that's Romeo!" called Juliet's father. "He's cool. Seriously, he's really refined, he can stay, and this is my party – so do what I say."

Then, I strode up to Amber and grabbed her hand. Faux-alarm fell over her features and the mask fell to the floor. "You're gorgeous." Something like trust replaced the alarm, and my heart melted.  
"I don't even know you," she whispered. "You're a Montague, right?" She looked wistful. "That has to be exciting. And you don't look so bad yourself."  
My heartbeat sped up as Alfie, although I was playing Romeo. "I wish I wasn't a Montague because – I like you. I'd like to get to know you."  
"I'd like to get to know you two," grinned Amber, before winking. "And your lips."  
"Oh, my lips? That's a bit forward," I chortled. "I – uh – um...Nina, what's my next line?"

Nina shouted from the audience: "But I'd like to get to-"  
"Oh, right, okay. Ahem. But I'd like to get to know your lips too." And then, as the script said, I pulled Amber into a passionate kiss. It wasn't even a stage kiss, because it was like Alfie and Romeo were mingling and all I wanted was Amber and Juliet.

The curtains drew in, and Mrs Jenks applauded us all, saying it was time for notes for Act 1. But Amber and I were still behind the curtain, grinning at each other.

"That was...amazing. Alfie, I-" started Amber.  
"No. Let me," I interrupted. "I've been an idiot, Amber. I've been blocking you out because there's a part of me...and right now, I don't know how strong that part is...that still likes you. It's always been you, you know that, but now – now me and Willow are together, and it's great, but when I'm Romeo, and you're Juliet, it makes sense. I can't block out my feelings forever, though Amber, so I'm going to join Sibuna. Okay?"  
Amber nodded. "Okay." And then I pulled her in for a long hug.

 **WILLOW'S POV**

I felt a little sad as I watched Amber and Alfie embrace after their performance. Something like jealousy fell over my heart, and I hated it. I was so in love with Alfie, but since Amber came back, he changed – like I was no longer his muse. Still, I flashed them both a grin as we all sat down for notes, and felt a little better as he wrapped his hand round mine.

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

After the play-day, Nina was in her room, delving into Louisa's diary for any clues on her least-favourite room in the house. She looked back at the clue, and frowned. "Who's Susanne?"  
It took her half an hour to reach a relevant passage in the book.

 _My dear diary,  
I am distraught. Robert returned from his archaeological dig, and yes, I privately took the Shen Honey from him – though I haven't hidden it just yet. Robert was much happier when he returned, and was acting like the man I fell so deeply in love with. When we reunited, he kissed me with the passion of an infatuated young man (though he has long since been young), and it was a wonderful change that I welcomed with open arms. I miss our youth, the days we would kiss each other senseless until our mouths hurt. _

Nina wrinkled her nose. Reading a woman's diary got a bit too personal at times, she noted, but forced herself to press on.

 _The next day, a woman came to our house. Her name is Susanne Cartwright, and she is a magnificent creature – a lady in her twenties with dark hair and dark eyes, like an enchantress. Robert introduced her as a friend he had made on his archaeological dig, an Egyptologist, like us. Susanne and I got on so well that I invited her to stay the night. The day after, I went out to purchase new potted plants to decorate the rather grim-looking garden shed. It is so small, but I cannot stand to see one square of our land looking ugly, like our little shed did. It was a beauty once, its bricks painted white and a rather pretty Shu weather vane. Now it has aged, and with age, it has grown ugly – much like myself, I add, with tears in my eyes._

Nina stifled a laugh. Louisa sure was dramatic.

 _When I returned home, I went straight to the shed to put down my new potted plants when I saw them. Robert and Susanne, as one, making love to one another. I dropped my plants, and with a crash, they stared at me like startled rabbits. I tore back into the house, and Susanne disappeared. Robert has apologised to me millions of times today, and even tried to kiss me softly and tempt me into doing what they did together, but I cannot. I know I will forgive him, for beneath the cruelty that surfaced when we discovered the Shen Honey and he changed as a being, I know he is the man I love. But I despise the shed now, as if it caused my problems, as if it forced my husband to be unfaithful. I will never decorate it with potted plants or clean its dirt. It can rot for all I care._

"Whoa!" grinned Nina. "This fits the clue like...perfectly!"

Suddenly, three knocks sounded. Fabian walked in, smiling. "Fabian! I have just found the place we need to go to – the old Frobisher-Smythe shed!"  
"What? How-"  
"There's no time, Fabian! Do you know where it is?" Nina was ecstatic, hiding the diary and already pulling on her jacket.  
"Yeah, it's in the abandoned section of the school. There's a huge gate around it – we'd need a key," frowned Fabian. "Victor will have a key though. But before you go searching for it, I..." he inhaled, "I have something I want to talk to you about."

Nina looked at the boy expectantly as he sat down beside her. "I know we agreed on being 'just friends' for now, and that's fine – if it's what you want. But my feelings for you are consuming me, and I have to know that you – that y-you feel the same."  
"Of course I do, stupid," chuckled Nina. Her face became serious as she leaned in to press her lips against his, capturing him in a breathtaking kiss. When they broke apart, his eyes were still gently closed.  
"But – but we can't date. Because I don't want to put too much pressure on you," Fabian whispered. "So I got you this. Jasper sent it to me for my birthday, but I want to give it to you."  
"What is it?" Nina asked, as he unveiled a ring. "An...engagement ring?" Panic began to rise.  
"No! No. It's a promise ring – to remind you that after this mystery, it'll be you and me against the world, okay?"  
"Okay." Fabian smiled at her acceptance, undoing her necklace and looping the ring onto the chain before putting it on her. His lips moved to kiss the bottom of her neck softly, sending shivers down her spine. "I love you," she whispered.  
"I love you too," he nodded.


	11. Chapter 11

A few hours later, Sibuna met in the attic, assembling themselves in a circle on the floor. Alfie was there, which made the gang rather happy. It didn't go unnoticed how close Alfie and Amber were sat, though.

"Okay, guys," grinned Nina, after filling them in on what she found in the diary, "I need someone to create a distraction so I can sneak in and grab the shed key."  
"I can totally do that," volunteered Alfie. "Annoying Victor is my forte." Amber giggled at that, which caused a smile to fall over the boy's face.  
"I'll stand at the bottom of the stairs to keep a look out, and I'll call to Eddie, who'll warn you if he comes back. Okay?" decided Patricia. The gang nodded, before going their separate ways in preparation.

Later on, Alfie could be found hauling a bucket filled with water to the doorway before casually pouring it all onto the floor. Mara came down the stairs, in pyjamas, not noticing the water – and found herself slipping and sliding all over the floor, emitting a screech. "Alfie!" she yelled as she flopped to the floor. Victor appeared at the top of the stairs.  
"What is the meaning of this, Lewis?" he demanded, and Alfie just shrugged, before bolting out of the door, Victor hot on his heels.

Immediately, the gang took their places, Patricia at the bottom of the stairs, Eddie at the top, and Nina pushing inside his office and darting towards the key box. Quickly, she snatched the one labelled 'Shed Key', and was about to go back when she noticed a tattered book lying open on Victor's desk. To her horror, she found that the page in question's title was: ' _Shen Honey. The myths and legends.'_ Quickly, Nina snapped a picture of the open pages before scrambling out of the office, key in hand.  
"Got it?" asked Eddie.  
"Got it," replied Nina, putting yet another item on her necklace chain. "Guys?" she called. "I say we sleep now, and go to the shed tomorrow. Okay?"  
"Okay!" chorused Sibuna.

Meanwhile, Joy was sat alone in her room.

 **JOY'S POV**

The Photography homework in front of me made me want to claw my eyes out. I picked up my camera, and went to photograph a picture of some rain on the window to represent the 'sadness' depiction I had to create, contemplating how on earth I could represent 'anger', 'happiness' and 'jealousy' - when the door creaked open.  
"Hey, Joy," came a friendly voice. Something stirred inside me as I turned around to face KT's smiling face. "Watcha doing?" she asked.  
"Photography homework. I hope to be a professional paparazzi member one day," I chuckled, feeling oddly shy around the girl. Recently, I had been feeling weird around KT a lot of the time. Like the very sight of her crazy hair and heart warming smile made me uneasy. "I still need to picture 'anger', 'happiness' and 'jealousy'." I frowned at her upturned smile. "You could be my happiness."  
"What?" she chuckled, and I managed to snap a picture of her mid-laughter, eyes alight, hair wild, smile breathtaking. All it took was a glimpse of the photograph and I understood the feelings I was battling with. _A crush._

"Can I see that?" asked KT, so of course I obliged. "Whoa. I do look happy."  
"Right?" I smiled. "Perfect for my homework."  
"Listen, Joy...I just wanted to talk to you about you coming out. I thought it was cool. I mean, I...well, I...I- uh," KT blushed, before hurriedly looking away. "I mean, I am an ally. You know, a straight ally. It makes me happy to see you being comfortable with yourself." And then she was gone, out the door. But I flicked back to the picture of her, in her serenity, in her happiness, and it didn't matter she was a straight ally and didn't like me back, because she was just so _nice._

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

The next day, the students went to school as usual – except in the afternoon, the Sibuna gang managed to sneak out at lunch to get to the shed.

"Guys, remember – we have to be super quiet, or someone might follow us," Nina reminded everybody.  
"Alfie, Amber – can you quit gazing into each other's eyes and remember the task at hand?" scowled Eddie, though he was just touchy because Patricia was in a bit of a mood with him because he had turned down her idea of a Rom Com movie night.  
"Quit talking to him like he's a kid," Patricia scolded him. "He's just as mature as you, Slimeball."  
"Yeah, and I'm immature, remember?" Eddie bit back. After being shot a withering look by Nina, the two shut up and managed to sneak around the gardens to the abandoned part of the grounds.

"Gross," commented Amber, wrinkling her nose up at the rusty gates guarding the wilderness of what lay behind. "This has got to be dangerous or something."  
"It's okay, babe, I'm here," grinned Alfie.  
"Dude, you literally have a girlfriend! Have some respect!" exploded Eddie, angrily twisting the key into the lock and pushing the creaky gate open. "Now come on." The gang threaded their way through overgrown grass, anxiously treading over a very unsafe bridge over a very wild river, until they reached the shed. Once again, Princess Millington pulled a face of disgust.

"As if someone did it here," said Patricia, staring at the pile of rubble and bricks that slightly resembled a shed. "How are we supposed to get in?"  
"We can't," said Fabian. "There's no opening."  
"Well isn't that just great!" yelled Nina, tears threatening to pour from her lash line. "Just wonderful. We will never finish this, and Fabian and I will never be together. How fantastic!" And then she was tearing away, speeding along the dangers of the ground, Fabian running after her.

"Poor Nina," uttered Eddie. Patricia turned to him, anger contorting her face.  
"Poor Nina. Poor bloody Nina, right Eddie? You never think about me. Not for a second," she scowled, storming off too.

Meanwhile, behind another abandoned building, Victor was watching them.  
"Children," he tutted. "Screaming and caterwauling. Of course I was going to find you."  
"Oh, were you now?" came a silky, melodic voice that caused Victor to jump out of his skin, turning around. Before him stood a woman with a curvaceous figure and long, blonde hair.  
"Miss Lacy?" he frowned. "What are you doing here? You need to-"  
"Shh. They'll hear you. What am I doing here? The same as you. Waiting for the honey. I have been feeding the Chosen One clues, as she and the Osirian are the only ones who can access it. Then, eternal life will be mine...ours?"

Miss Lacy offered her hand, and Victor shook it.


	12. Chapter 12

After school when everybody was back at the house, Jerome Clarke was doing his homework – for once. His fingers already ached from two minutes of writing, and he didn't understand a thing about the Russian revolution.

Three knocks sounded upon his door. "Who is it?" he called absentmindedly.  
"Just me," came a sweet, marshmallow-soft voice belonging to the one and only Mara Jaffray. Jerome straightened up, placing down his pen and clearing his throat.  
"Come on in," he said. The girl pushed the door open and was stood in a simple outfit consisting of a lilac blouse and blue dungarees, but Jerome was awe-struck.  
"Do you have the text book you borrowed awhile back? It's Chemistry, and we have a test soon, so I need it," put Mara, blushing profusely as she remembered the times she and Jerome would kiss for hours in this room...before he cheated on her with Willow.  
"Yeah, sure," Jerome frowned, disappointed that she was here for a book alone, grabbing it and handing it to her. He felt confused when the girl didn't leave.

"Mara, are you okay?" asked Jerome, perking a brow.  
"Yeah," she answered. "I was just thinking about when I lent you this."  
Jerome raked a hand through his hair. "I can't even remember, it was so long ago."  
"Not really. The start of last year, when we were an item – well, we were study buddies. Only the Chemistry we studied was not text book," giggled Mara.  
"Was that a joke, Jaffray? Anyway, we did have good chemistry," smirked Jerome, but frowned as he saw Mara's smile fall and her eyes slide to the floor.  
"Until you hurt me, that is," she whispered, and went to leave before Jerome darted up and caught her arm.

"I was a little boy, Jaffray," he suddenly blurted out, eyes intense. "Well, in maturity levels. I wasn't ready. I thought I was, but clearly I wasn't."  
"It's not an excuse, Clarke," uttered Mara.  
"No, it's not," agreed Jerome, his other hand finding hers. "I swear I loved you. I don't know why I threw it away, maybe – maybe because I didn't understand that it was love. Maybe I viewed the swelling in my heart whenever you walked past in a negative way, I don't know. But I loved you then, and I'm sorry for throwing that away."  
Mara nodded slowly, before leaving the room.

 **JOY'S POV**

I couldn't stop looking at my photograph of KT. I had it ingrained in my mind, and was staring at it intently when the door swung open and the beauty herself walked in bearing her typical grin.  
"Hey, Joy," she beamed. "Where's Patricia? Eddie's looking for her."  
"I don't know," I shrugged, quickly pushing the camera away. "They've been having relationship issues recently, I think."  
"Eddie said," nodded KT. "I hope they don't break up again. They'll only get back together."  
I bit my lip, sitting up a little and fiddling with my thumbs. "Weren't you like...interested in Eddie when you first met him? I mean, romantically?"  
Then, she threw her head back and laughed. "No! No way, I mean Eddie's a boy!" Then I saw her hand fly to her lips, her eyes widen. "I mean. Uh. I mean Eddie's a boy's boy – I like a more – I like a more – a more sensitive b-boy." But it was too late. Had she just come out to me?

"You like girls?" I asked, and saw conflict fall over her features.  
"I – I guess," she whispered, blushing. "I mean, I'm sure I like boys _more._ It's just...well, I've never had a crush on one. And I find the idea of locking lips with one repulsive. But, I mean I'm _sure_ I'm attracted to them in some way."  
I smiled, standing up and grabbing her hands, gazing into those chocolate eyes. "It's okay to be gay, you know. Completely normal, completely fine." And I pulled her into a hug, a hug that I never wanted to end.

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

Downstairs, Eddie and Patricia were having a rather explosive argument.

"Will you quit being so annoying?" yelled Patricia, folding her arms. "Get off my back."  
"Uh, no way! You were totally flirting with Jerome just then!" screamed Eddie in reply, shooting the big-haired boy who was sat in front of the TV a kill-glare.  
"Dude, we're just pals," Jerome sighed, exasperated.  
"Exactly, just pals!" repeated Patricia. "You need to get over this annoying jealousy thing."  
"Then you need to quit flirting!" fumed Eddie. "Or I'll start flirting with other girls, too!"  
"Do it, I don't care!" And Patricia was gone from the room, Eddie hot on her heels.

"I will, Patricia!" said Eddie, anger filling his stomach.  
Patricia shot him an icy glare. "Do it. See what happens." Then, all the pent-up frustrations of the mystery and the family stress and Patricia giving Jerome a hug that lasted too long in Eddie's opinion (although it was literally the shortest embrace of the century) popped in Eddie's brain, and he found himself sending winks and flirtatious words to every passing girl in the next hour.

Finally, Patricia blew up the moment she noticed his hand drift to rest upon the small of Mara's back, though Mara wasn't aware of the fairy-light finger tips around her.  
"Dude, do you have no respect?" screeched Patricia. "I give Jerome a two second hug, and you grope every girl that walks past?"  
"Hey, the ice queen _does_ have a heart!" scowled Eddie, folding his arms. "I just wanted to make you feel something, Yacker."  
"The way to make someone feel something is to take them on a really cold winter walk and then kiss them so that they're warm again, jerk. Or maybe send black roses to their room. Or, I don't know, hold the small of their back – not their friend's," Patricia sighed. "It's over, Eddie. I'm so done with your childish mind games." Patricia shot Eddie a final look of disgust, before tearing upstairs.

Mara flinched away from the boy. "Eddie! Get off me!" she cried, alerting a passing Jerome.  
"What's up?" he asked, arm falling around her.  
"Eddie groped me, apparently," Mara said, brows furrowing. Jerome's head to jerked to the hyperventilating boy just across from him.  
"Okay, so you have a girlfriend," Jerome said, voice clipped and angry. "What the hell, man?"  
"I know, I know – I just wanted Patricia to know that- I just- oh God!" And Eddie was running into his room because everything felt like warm gas surrounding him, blurring his vision and coiling around his neck like a noose.

"Are you okay, Mar-bar?" asked Jerome, swivelling her to look at him.  
"I don't know. Was I just an accessory to the breakup of Eddie and Patricia?" whispered Mara, eyes quivering with guilt. "I mean, I don't like Eddie like that. What if Patricia thinks-"  
"She won't!" assured Jerome, crushing the girl in an embrace. He whispered in her hair: "And Eddie doesn't like you like that, either." Jerome paused. "But I do."  
Mara pulled back slightly, a tear dribbling down her cheek. "What?"  
Jerome sighed, raking a hand through his hair. "I do, Mara. I can't even pretend anymore. I see you and I feel dizzy. I miss you."  
Mara's eyes fell to the floor in that way that made Jerome feel guilty and messed up and sad. Her lips opened, as if she was going to speak – but then squeezed shut. Finally, she raised her eyes. "I miss you too, Jerome." Wavering, as if she was afraid, her ice-cold fingers met his and she leaned into his body, finally succumbing to the painful feelings of love she had tried to repress for so long, and his arms managed to slide around her shivering body and it felt like...like she was an ex-alcoholic taking her first sip of alcohol in a very long time. Dangerous.


	13. Chapter 13

That very night, the entire school had to gathered at the school to watch the school play. Tension sat between the students like ice, Eddie shooting Patricia desperate looks of despair, Nina distancing herself from the entire Sibuna gang.  
"Nina," whispered Fabian, sitting beside her. She flinched, turning away. "Nina, don't be like this. Listen, nobody said this mystery was going to be easy, but we can do it. We always do." And he laced his fingers in hers. "Even if not, I think I'll be with you anyways."  
Nina smiled softly. "You're like a freaking pool of calm, Fabian. You make everything better," she giggled. Fabian blushed, and then the lights dimmed and the curtains opened.

The play was amazing. Amber and Alfie's performance was stunning, captivating, enchanting – in fact, it managed to tease a tear from Patricia's eye, though that might have been partially because of her breakup all of twenty minutes ago. The last scene was the most potent, though, although it seemed that it was a bit of a deviation from the original.  
Alfie stood on the stage, bent over the 'dead' Amber. Tears were spurting from his eyes, realistic and scarring. "Juliet," he croaked, pain soaking his voice. "Juliet, please wake up. Come on, please! Please, I love you!" His hands crushed her shoulders, trying to shake her. "Please!" Then, his fumbling fingers found a dagger. "I want to be with you." Then, he (fake, of course) plunged it into himself and let out disturbingly realistic hisses of agony. Then, Amber's eyes fluttered open, and her face was struck with panic.

"No! Romeo, it was fake, I'm alive! Oh God!" Shaking, Amber pulled out the dagger, flinging it to the side and pulling the boy close. "Don't die on me, Romeo. We've got this far. Come on, don't die!"  
"Juliet," panted Alfie. "I love you." The audience was breathless as their fingers intertwined. Nina knew that at this point in the script, Alfie was supposed to slump in Juliet's arms, dead – but that was not what happened. Instead, Amber was gazing into Alfie's quivering eyes – and she pulled him into a kiss. Immediately, his hands found her cheeks, kissing her desperately, sitting up together, sharing tears. Remembering himself, Alfie then slumped in her arms. Amber followed suit. "Romeo," she whispered in character, sobbing desperately. "I must be with you, then." And she raised the bottle of real poison before putting it to her lips, and slumping alongside him, embracing in death.

Roaring, the audience rose, hands beating together madly as the curtains drew closed.

 **AMBER'S POV**

As the curtains closed, I sat up, gasping for breath. "That was intense," I breathed. Alfie nodded, chuckling, and looked up to my face. His eyes fluttered shut as he pressed another kiss to my lips, breaking away when the rest of the cast joined us onstage.  
"That was amazing!" squealed Willow. "So realistic!" And then I was hit with the realisation _that Alfie had just cheated on her with me._  
"Thanks, Willow," I replied a little awkwardly, edging out of the boy's embrace. I quickly got changed and grabbed Nina, before running back to the house.

"What was that, Ambs?" asked Nina.  
"What was what?" I responded, innocent as ever, but my guilty blush giving me away.  
"Oh, I don't know. The steamy make out session?" Nina said, perking a brow. I groaned.  
"I know. I- I was just getting into character, alright? Now I'm tired, so I'm sleeping."

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

The next day, the breakfast table was very noisy, everybody gushing about the school play.  
"I never knew you were talented, Millington," smirked Jerome, raising his glass of OJ to the girl.  
"Right? You guys were so believable. That kiss, though," winked KT, before smiling at Joy. "We loved it, didn't we, girl?"  
"Definitely," grinned Joy. "Now, if you don't mind guys, I've got early Chem revision. Laters." Standing up, she and KT vacated the house, strolling to school.

"You don't understand how much I love Romeo and Juliet," commented KT, looping her arm in Joy's. "Tragic, forbidden love. Reminds me of myself."  
"How so?" wondered Joy. "What's tragic or forbidden about you?"  
"Oh, I don't know," said KT, affectionately sarcastic. "The fact that I'm gay?"  
"Don't be stupid," Joy chuckled. "Same sex relationships aren't tragic, and definitely shouldn't be forbidden. There just as cute as the any other coupling."  
"You think?" grinned KT. "So if I dated a girl...people wouldn't find it weird?"  
"Course not," Joy said, heart sinking. "...Got your eye on anyone?"

She heard KT inhale deeply, before she stood in front of Joy and halted her.  
"Okay, Joy. I have a big, raging crush on you. Do you wanna be my girlfriend?" she said, looking directly into Joy's rather shocked eyes. A moment of silence filled the air, before Joy let out a squeal.  
"Oh my gosh, _yes_! I was so hoping you'd ask!" Not waiting any longer, Joy pulled KT into a kiss that tasted of chocolate and croissants from breakfast. It was then that they noticed how rain was beginning to fall, dampening their skin and hair. They broke away, laughing.  
"It's just like in the movies," winked KT. "Kisses in the rain and all." Joy rolled her eyes, smiling nonetheless.  
"Come on," she said, shaking her head. "We'll be soaking. Race you to school?"  
"What do I get if I win?" asked KT. Joy pondered for a minute.  
"Hmmmm. Oh, I know – a big old kiss?"

And with that, KT was tearing away, dust flying in her wake.

Meanwhile, back at the house, Patricia was heading up to her room to grab her school bag when she was cornered by Eddie. "Get lost, Slimeball," she spat.  
"No! Patricia, just listen to me," he pleaded. "Look, I'm so sorry I got jealous but it's only because I love you so much."  
"Whatever. You were a centimetre from grabbing Mara's butt, that doesn't look like 'love' to me. I have to go find Joy, so kindly step out of the way and let me leave," sassed Patricia, folding her arms.  
"You know I love you. Don't even pretend you don't," smirked Eddie. "You know it."  
"Sure I do, Eddie. Because having fits whenever I hug a male and booty-grabbing other girls when I'm mad at you just screams 'LOVE', doesn't it?" Patricia pushed past him, racing out of the house before he could stop her. He let out a moan of exasperation.

At lunch, Sibuna met up in the cafeteria. "We're trying the shed again tonight," announced Nina. "We'll scope it out a bit more. We can't give up yet."  
"Sounds like a plan to me," smiled Amber, throwing a forkful of salad into her mouth. The rest of the gang, nodded.  
"Sucks that the Osirian has to be there, though," Patricia muttered. Eddie sighed, shoving a mouthful of burger into his mouth.  
"You'd rather Jerome be there?" he bit back, to which Patricia stormed off, dumping her bacon sandwich in the bin and escaping before she actually punched him in the face.  
So, after school, the gang reconvened at the abandoned sector of the school, getting in and heading to the shed. Everybody noted that Amber was holding hands with Alfie, but nobody dared point it out, and Eddie was too fixed on his own problems to notice otherwise he would've.  
When they reached the shed, after rummaging in the rubble some more, Nina began to get stressed again. "Nina, it's okay," whispered Fabian, before she turned to him.  
"No, it's not!" she cried out. Her fingers found the necklace around her neck, and she tore it off. "I don't need these anymore, do I? Because I can't do it!" And she flung the necklace into the rubble – before a dazzling blue light escaped the necklace and suddenly, a tomb revealed itself.  
"Whoa," gasped Amber. Nina grabbed the necklace.  
"Fabian, it's the promise ring – that's what's glowing!" she breathed. "Look, the Shen symbol's on it and everything."  
"Coincidence?" offered Fabian, peering at the necklace.  
"Well, what are we waiting for? Come on!" Eddie said. "What does that say?"

Lettering was at the top of the tomb, lettering that read:  
 _Enter only the Chosen One and the Osirian...or suffer a great price._

"Crowns?" asked Nina, and Fabian unzipped his backpack, handing over the box which Nina unlocked, before she and Eddie donned the crowns.  
"Wait, so we just have to wait out here?" asked Patricia.  
"Looks like it," nodded Amber, looking uncomfortable. Eddie advanced towards the tomb, but Patricia's hand flew out to grab him.  
"No. I won't let you," she said. "You're not going without me. You might die!" Eddie shook her off, touched at the sentiment.  
"I won't. Trust me. Come on, Nina."

And then they disappeared into the tomb, despite the gang's protests. 


	14. Chapter 14

**EDDIE'S POV**

The tomb stunk. Reluctantly, Fabian had handed over a flashlight and so Nina and I were nervously walking into the manmade cave, holding our crowns to our heads.  
"This is gross," I commented, wrinkling my nose up.  
"You think?" chuckled Nina. "Here, give me that flashlight. I can't see."  
"Hey, no, I'm your protector. So I get the flashlight," I smirked, ruffling her hair affectionately. A crumble sounded, and she jumped closer to me, scared. I placed my arm around her shoulders.  
"Thanks. I'm freezing," she muttered, teeth chattering. "I mean, we're totally platonic, so it's fine. I have Fabian, and you have..."  
"Not exactly," I frowned. "Me and Yacker broke up." Saying the words hurt. I retrieved my arm, as if touching another girl worsened my decision to flirt with others.  
"Oh." The single syllable that left Nina's lips summarised my entire feeling towards the thing.

We eventually came to a rusting door that loomed above us...

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

Meanwhile, Alfie and Amber were making their way back to the house. The others were staying back, just in case Nina and Eddie needed help, but Alfie and Amber had been sent to decoy Victor if he was suspicious.

After awhile of casual banter, Amber piped up: "So are we going to talk about the kiss?"  
Alfie became aware of his hand wrapped around hers, and blushed. "What's there to say?"  
Perking a brow, Amber chuckled, taking her hand back. "Oh, I don't know. We made out, out of choice, and you have a girlfriend." Alfie felt sick when she said it like that, thinking of his poor, beautiful girlfriend, but also thinking of his beautiful, beautiful Amber as she raked a hand through her shimmering locks.  
"It was...I mean, it was a-"  
"Mistake?" prompted Amber. "Stupid thing to do? Wow, I feel underappreciated."  
"It was a stupid thing to do," shrugged Alfie. "Because I should've broken up with Willow first. I can't ignore how I feel about you anymore, Ambs."  
 _That_ took Amber by surprise. "Are you serious, boo?" she squealed. "I like you too!" And she threw her arms around him and hesitated momentarily before pressing a full, passionate kiss to his lips. "That doesn't count as a real kiss, Alfie, because...because there was no tongue, okay?"  
Alfie rolled his eyes, guilt strangling him nonetheless.

However, once they got back to the house, Amber's thoughts changed a little.

Amber's thoughts changed because of a blonde boy that was getting out of the taxi, a blonde boy in a rugby T-shirt and that flashy, perfect grin that Alfie detested so deeply.

Mick was back.

 **PATRICIA'S POV**

I was beside myself. "Why are they taking so long?" I whined.  
"I don't know, okay!" snapped Fabian. "Look, I'm just as worried as you."  
"Worried about what?" I snarled. "Worried your precious Chosen One is making out with _her_ precious Osirian? Yeah, me too!" Fabian looked like I had just slapped him, but I jerked my head away, desperate to feel unashamed.

"Nina wouldn't do that, Patty," I heard the boy murmur. "And Eddie loves you, he does."  
"Yeah, whatever," I responded, hating the crack in my voice as tears threatened to pour. "He's just...he's just a flirt. He loves _everyone._ I'm just another girl to him."

And then Fabian's hands were on my shoulders, swivelling me around to look at him. I sniffed, cringing to a great extent at the tear I felt slipping down my cheek.  
"Listen, Patricia," he said, his face determined. "He never stops talking about you, okay? He cried rivers when you broke up. Said he couldn't handle it. And, Patricia, I've even heard him say your name when he's sleeping. So don't you dare thing you're 'just another girl' to him, because you are to him what Nina is to me. Everything."

Then, all the tears rushed out, and Fabian pulled me into a massive hug. My face snuffled on his shoulder, shoulders shaking with sobs.  
"Oh sorry," came the voice of my Eddie. I jumped away from Fabian, anxiously dragging a hand over my eyes. "Are we interrupting something?"  
Nina's face was streaked with betrayal. "It's not what it looks like, I swear Nina," I gabbled. She nodded.  
"Okay, what is it?" she demanded, arms crossing. I opened my mouth, but it was Fabian who spoke.  
"What is it?" he scoffed, then turned his gaze on Eddie. "What it _is,_ is Patricia bursting into tears because she doesn't think you love her. That you ever did. And me hugging her, because, what else would I do?"  
Nina's face melted into understanding. "I'm sorry for assuming," she whispered. "You're a good guy, Fabian. We'll give you two some alone time." And Fabina and Nina walked away, leaving me stranded with the guy who sort of broke my heart.

"Are you really crying, Yacker?" Eddie's voice was soft, gentle; the question wasn't a job. I snorted in defiance.  
"No. Course not," I denied. "You're not worth it." Lies, lies, lies. But Eddie saw right through the lies, like I was transparent. He edged closer, and finally took my hands in his. My eyes locked on his.  
"Why are you such an idiot?" he grinned, his lips twitching into that irresistible smile. But I pulled away, eyes drifting from his, because for once I didn't want to be told I was an idiot by him. For once, I didn't want to be called Yacker. I just wanted to feel like he loved me, and that wasn't happening.  
"I'm not an idiot, Eddie," I mumbled audibly. "Or maybe I am. Maybe loving you makes me an idiot, because which smart person would ever fall for someone who didn't fall for them too?"  
"Okay, if _that's_ the definition of an idiot you are definitely not one, Patricia." And his hands were holding mine again. "Because I've really fallen for you, and it sucks that you don't believe it. But how could I not fall for you?"

Tears threatened to leave my eyes as he forced me to look up at him, his gentle smile no longer a smirk, his eyes glittering as if I was beautiful to him. His fingers drifted to rest on my cheeks. "I mean, how could I not love these cheeks?" he said. "How could I not love this hair?" His fingers fell through my locks. "These lips? God, Patricia, I love these lips. I love the way the talk, the way they kiss. I love you, basically, that's what I'm trying to get at."  
"Why did you hurt me then?" I croaked. "Why did you decide to flirt with everyone who walked past, as revenge?"  
"Because _I'm_ the idiot. Jealous, stupid, a fool. Please give me another chance, Patricia," Eddie whispered, before pulling me into an embrace. My heart was hammering as I tilted up my face to kiss the boy. It was wonderful, blissful, and I was in a fairytale world until I realised what I was doing and broke away fully, separating our bodies entirely, breaking all contact.

"I can't, Eddie," I whispered, shaking my head. "I just can't."


	15. Chapter 15

"Mick, is that you?" squealed Amber, tearing towards the car.  
"Ambs!" grinned the boy, before grasping the girl in a massive hug. Alfie felt like he was on the sidelines of their past relationship all over again.  
"What are you doing back here, boo?" Amber said excitedly. "It's like a reunion!"  
Mick shook his hair out and flashed that winning smile at her. "I missed you guys," he shrugged. "Especially you, babes. The Mara break up totally put our past into perspective."  
"Oh, I missed you too!" Amber grinned, hugging him again. When they separated, Mick (against an awkward Alfie's will) pulled the other boy into a short embrace.  
"Oh, Mick. I hoped you'd come back," Alfie said through gritted teeth, wondering whether he should squeeze Mick so hard he'd die. He decided against it; Mick was probably stronger than him anyway.  
"Ambs, would you help me carry my stuff in? Then we can talk in my room. I'm sharing with Fabian and...Eddie is it?" Mick asked, and Amber nodded, helping him drag his luggage inside.

Alfie was left outside, feeling rather dejected.

Meanwhile, Fabian and Nina had returned to Eddie and Patricia. They decided not to bring up the fact that both Eddie and Patricia were in tears now. "Eddie," said Nina, gently. "We ought to go back down now. We just needed the promise ring to get through this door we came up to, so I've just gone and collected it," she explained to the others.  
Eddie nodded through his sobs. "Yeah, sure," he breathed. "Come on."  
"No, Eddie, we have to finish this discussion-"  
"No, Patricia, we don't. Come on, Nina." And Eddie and Nina once again disappeared into the tomb.

This time, the duo pretty much ran to the rusty door. There was a little Shen symbol that Nina pressed her ring to, and the door creaked open. "Are we going to talk about your tears or not?" wondered Nina, perking a brow as she slipped through the door.  
"No thanks," frowned Eddie. The room was surprisingly well lit...but empty. "For goodness' sake, what the hell are we meant to do?" he yelled.  
"Eddie, you need to chill out-"  
"We're here!" screamed Eddie, losing it. "Your precious Chosen One and Osirian are here. Unleash the tasks, come on, I don't even care if I die, just let me have my life back!" Tears were swimming down his cheeks.  
"Why isn't it working?" burst out Nina. "What are we meant to do? What are Osirians and Chosen Ones meant to do?"  
"Come _on!_ " yelled Eddie. "It's me, look at my precious crown!" He tore off the crown, and threw it across the room in anger. Weirdly, two walls slid down to reveal two separate rooms.

A recording played.  
 _One for the lady  
And one for the man  
One task each  
Finish if you can_

"They must know Osirians have anger issues," jested Nina through her teeth. Ignoring any feelings of foreboding, the two raced into their allotted rooms.

Nina's task looked dangerous.

The floor was not really a floor, but a death trap. Daggers and blades rose up from the ground, glinting frighteningly. Nina donned her brave face and crossed her arms. "I can do this."  
Suddenly, two extra items appeared. One was a table with two keys atop it that pulled itself up from the floor, and the second was a cage which came from the ceiling.  
"Help!" came a scream, and Nina's head jerked up to the cage. A figure was entrapped in the bars, a ghostly figure that resembled a fair-haired little girl.  
"Who are you?" Nina asked, gasping. The little girl was most definitely a spirit, and emitted a fragrance of lavender.  
"I am the spirit of Sarah Frobisher Smythe. I was set free by you, Nina Martin, but when this tomb was trespassed, I was pulled into this cage. I don't know how," sobbed the little girl. "Please free me. Mummy says that the key on the left, when you lift it, sets me free."  
"What does the other key do?" asked Nina, stepped towards the table.  
"Pushes the blades back into the ground. Completes the task," snivelled the child. Nina's hands flew to her hair. Honey, or Sarah?

After a panicked few seconds, Nina lifted the key on the left and the cage holding Sarah unbuckled and the spirit slid out and flew towards Nina.  
"Once again, you have proved yourself, Chosen One. Mummy said the tasks would never hurt the true Chosen One, or be difficult for the Chosen One. If you had lifted the other key, the daggers would've risen from beneath you and ended your life. But you showed compassion, and so..."

The blades in the room sunk into the ground. "Yes! Thank you Sarah!" Nina squealed, racing to the door and pushing it open. This led to a small, empty room with another door. Nina approached the door, and opened it...it was the door to Eddie's task room.

Eddie looked frightened at the other end of the room.  
"Nina?" he yelled.  
"Yes! I completed my task, you can do it, Eddie!" Nina screamed, taking in Eddie's room. It looked like a lake, with what seemed to be crocodiles slithering about in the lakes.  
"Are they real crocodiles?" Nina gasped, backing away slightly.  
"They're spirits, but...their bite is still painful," Eddie grimaced, showing his bite marks.  
"Louisa knew how to conjure spirits, for definite," remarked Nina.  
"How do I get across?" wondered Eddie, and suddenly an identical cage and table appeared. However, a beautiful woman was in the cage, and the cage was being lowered into the lake.

"Help me!" squealed the woman. "I am Louisa! Save me!"  
"How?" yelled Eddie.  
"Pull the key up on the left!" yelled Louisa and Nina in unison. Without listening to whatever the right key might hold, Eddie yanked up the key on the left and freed Louis, who floated above the duo, her translucent curls dancing over her shoulders as her cheeks glowed with joy. Also, the crocodile spirits disappeared and the water sunk into the ground.

"Come, Osirian. I must speak to the chosen two," the spirit of Louisa smiled, beckoning Eddie into the room.  
"I thought...your friend said you couldn't become a spirit, because you were murdered," Nina frowned, and Louisa laughed.  
"That is what I told her. But I planned to become the spirit of Shen for a long time prior to my murder, so I was prepared," she smiled. "I am glad my mission is coming to an end."  
"Where's the honey?" demanded Eddie, impatient as Eddie.  
"Soon, you will see. But first, I must give you the instructions. On the seventh hour of the Chosen One's birthday, you will be able to destroy this honey – all will become clear on the date. Until then, you must hide it," Louisa said in her melodic voice.  
"What?" said Nina, horrified. "Hide it?"  
"You'll find a way. You're the Chosen One," said Louisa, and before the teenagers could ask more questions, she shimmered away.

Another simple pillar rose up from the ground, only this time it had a glass box on it containing...  
"The Shen honey!" breathed Nina. "I have the key." Pulling out the key from the task chambers, Nina unlocked the box and held the honey pot in her hands.  
"It just looks...normal," frowned Eddie. "Are you sure we're not being tricked?"  
"I don't care. This is good enough," Nina decided, putting the honey inside her bag.

When they emerged from the tombs, Fabian and Patricia were still waiting inside.  
"We have the honey," grinned Nina. "I'll hide it in my room until next month." She then explained what had happened in the tombs.  
"Whoa. Well, at least we have it now!" beamed Patricia, her pink teary eyes still obvious. The teenagers headed back to the house and were completely unaware of the gorgeous blonde spying on them.

Miss Lacy pulled out her mobile, pressing it to her ear. "Victor? They have the honey."


	16. Chapter 16

Sibuna reconvened back at the house, where Nina excitedly revealed the honey.  
"Yay! Mission complete!" squeaked Amber. "Can I go watch Pretty Little Liars now?"  
"No," said Eddie. "We have to hide the honey until next month."  
"I'm putting it in a little panel I've created," smirked Nina. "Watch." She shifted her bed to the side and revealed a small alcove she had carved into the wall. Slipping the honey in and covering the evidence with a piece of flat wallpaper, it was completely disguised.  
"You're amazing," breathed Fabian.  
"Meh, I learnt some DT in America. I had to get a hobby, didn't I?"  
"I guess," chuckled Alfie. "I guess my hobby is falling in love, right Amber? And before anyone says anything, I just broke up with Willow. She honestly took it really, really well. I was kind of offended."  
"Oh, you did?" Amber smiled, her voice less than enthused. "That's great, boo."  
"I heard Mick's back," said Nina.  
"Yup," nodded Fabian. "He's in a trio room with Eddie and I."  
" _Brilliant_ ," said Alfie. Amber shot him a glare.

Meanwhile, Mick was hanging out with Jerome and Mara in the living room.  
"So you two are still together?" he grinned warmly. Mara and Jerome exchanged glances.  
"We are together...but we broke up for awhile," Mara said vaguely.  
"Well I just want you all to know I won't be an issue," Mick said. "I think my time away from here's really taught me where my...well, where my heart lies."  
"What a loser-ish thing to say," joked Jerome, and Mara giggled, leaning back into his body.  
"And where does your heart lie then, Campbell?" Mara wondered.  
"With my first love," Mick said simply. "My first girlfriend. Ambs."  
"Whoa, really?" Jerome gasped. "But she's with Alfie!"  
"She'll see that we're meant to be," shrugged Mick. "Because we are."

 **VICTOR'S POV**

Miss Lacy and I sat in my office. "So they have the honey?" I asked.  
"Yes," she nodded, blonde hair swishing delicately over her shoulder. I felt a small pang in my icy heart whenever I saw a blonde; they constantly reminded me of Vera, someone who I'd (stupidly) fallen in love with last term. If my stone heart could break, she would've done it.  
"We need a way to search the house, then," I said. "I'll talk to Sweet. Tell him the students need an all-night revision session, and we can explore."  
"Sounds like a plan," the pretty woman said, a devilish glint sparkling in her blue eyes. Ah, her blue eyes. They were dazzling sapphires – nothing compared to Vera's sky-blue orbs, though. I sighed. Why was she always in my thoughts, even now?

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

And, at Victor's command, Mr Sweet announced the very next day that the following night would be spent at the school.  
"Victor brought to my attention that you Anubis students are all rather behind on your grades – even you, Mara," announced Sweet. "And so I've decided to have tonight as a prolonged revision session. We'll be running classes throughout the school, or you can do independent learning. Trudy has brought over all of your essential things, and we will once again be ordering a takeaway – though this time, it's Chinese!"

"They must know about the honey," hissed Eddie. "This is so out of the blue."  
"We'll have to rescue it, then, and bury it somewhere," suggested Fabian. "The garden?"  
"Okay, good idea. We can go later on. Me and Fabian can sneak out and rescue the honey later and Eddie and Patricia can make sure Mr Sweet doesn't catch on that we've left."  
"Great, give us the boring job," snorted Patricia.

So that night, teachers were sprinkled around the school and students filtered in and out of classes. After Maths revision, Sibuna gathered in a corridor.  
"Okay, so what's happening then?" enquired Amber, pulling her baby pink cardigan around herself.  
"Here's the plan: Patricia and Eddie can go chat to Sweetie, and Fabian and I will wing it and sneak out. Okay?" Nina grinned enthusiastically. The gang shrugged, nodding.  
"So me and Amber don't have a job?" sighed Alfie, disappointed. Nina mouthed 'sorry' at him, before tearing away.

Meanwhile, two girls were most certainly not where they should be...

 **KT**

"This is _not_ the ideal place for a date," giggled Joy, tucking a strand of chocolate hair behind her ear. I felt a blush tint my cheeks.  
"I don't know what you mean," I chuckled. "The stars are going to be out soon. It'll be awesome."  
I had set up duvets and sleeping bags outside in the gardens, lighting cake-scented Yankee candles for warmth and light. "I know," Joy whispered, and her tan hand slid over mine and I felt my insides burst with...well, with joy. "You're the best, KT."  
My fingers rose to trace over her cheekbone, burning with the spark on her skin. "Joy," I uttered. "I want to live out here with you. I don't want to go inside. Ever."  
And then she leaned in and her lips pressed against mine, causing my eyelids to flutter shut and my other hand to drop hers and creep to run through her hair. When we broke away, smiling, I could've cried with happiness.

"So, it's settled then? Living out here?" giggled Joy, leaning against me. "What about food?"  
"I could live on our kisses," I considered. "They fill me up, at least."  
"And your lips taste of strawberries, so it's tasty too!" added Joy. Then something pulsated in my heart like _love._ Love began to smell of cake and taste of strawberries and I leant in for another inside-melting kiss.

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

Back inside, Eddie and Patricia had slid into Mr Sweet's office.  
"Eddie, Patricia! My favourite couple!" he smiled fondly.  
"Uh, Dad...that's not a thing anymore," said Eddie, uncomfortably. This was going to be a long night.  
"Totally over," contributed Patricia.  
"Oh. Well, what brings you two here?" enquired Mr Sweet.  
"Uh," struggled Patricia. "For relationship counselling!" Eddie's head jerked to her in shock.  
"Well, I am rather an expert," smirked Sweet.

Eddie groaned internally. Yep, this _definitely_ was going to be a long night.

Fabian and Nina were already at the house, peering at it from a distance. "D'you think Victor's in there?" hissed Nina. Fabian shrugged, panicking now.  
"Okay, I'll call the house. Genius Nina, that's my name," winked Nina, pulling out her mobile phone and tapping out the house number. It rung for awhile, before Victor picked up.  
"Lacy? Is that you?" came Victor's gruff voice. Frowning, Nina answered.  
"Nope, it's me! We really need your help – a pipe has totally bust over here and Mr Sweet is panicking," Nina lied through her teeth, feeling like her suspicions about Miss Lacy were being confirmed.  
Victor grumbled. "Fine, I'll come. Tell Sweet to relax."

After five minutes, Victor emerged from the house and Fabian and Nina were able to dart inside. "Is the honey still there?" asked Fabian as Nina ripped down the wallpaper. Sighing in relief, the duo saw the honey.  
"Okay, hiding time," grinned Nina, grabbing the honey and escaping. They dug a deep hole under a hedge in the garden. "He won't guess this."  
Just as they were about to head back, the couple noticed the stars had begun to shine.  
"I love stars," Nina mentioned, sitting down on the grass. "When I was in America, I looked at them and made myself think I could still love you because we were still looking at the same stars. But that was stupid, because in my night time, it was English daytime." Nina's gentle smile faded. "I missed you, though."  
"I missed you too," Fabian uttered. "I never stopped loving you."  
"You dated Mara!" Nina laughed it off, raking her hand through her hair. "I was single for a year."  
"It was my lucky day when you came back," Fabian reassured her, grabbing her hand. "And we'll be together soon."

 **NINA**

It wasn't enough. Soon wasn't enough. My heart panged as my mind was filled with images of Fabian and Mara, lips touching, in love...  
"I don't want to wait anymore, Fabian," I whispered. "I keep picturing you with her."  
"Then don't wait," he said, determined. "Don't wait." My eyes rose to meet his, and I knew what he meant.  
"You want to be together...now? Like, officially?" I asked, smile forming. He nodded enthusiastically.  
"Okay!" I grinned, pulling my arms around him. "Hey there, Boyfriend!"  
"Hey, Girlfriend," laughed Fabian, gifting me with a short, sweet kiss before we returned to the house.

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

"Thanks for the advice Dad," groaned Eddie, rolling his eyes. "We're done here."  
"Yeah, thanks sir," agreed Patricia through gritted teeth, following the American out of the room. "That was the single most awkward experience of my life," chortled Patricia. "But Sweetie does have some sound advice."  
"Like 'give second chances'?" smirked Eddie. "I don't need his advice, Yacker. Love can't be taught."  
"You cheesy loser," Patricia retorted affectionately. "But you're right, I guess. You learn from mistakes, right?"  
"Right. But I love you, Patricia, and that's not even something I can un-teach myself," sighed Eddie. "I'm a mistake, in general. You're the most sensible choice I've ever made."  
"You're not a mistake, idiot. And I hope what I'm about to do isn't a mistake either." And she grasped his wrists and jerked him towards her, slamming her lips against his and enclosing her hands over his head. Immediately he reacted, hands finding her waist, lips moving to match her rhythm. He broke away first. "Let me clear this up – are we getting back together?"  
"Totally," confirmed Patricia, and he went to back to kissing her like they were going to die the next day.


	17. Chapter 17

_This will be a v short chapter but I needed to clear up Amfie and what's going on there. IT'S SOOO BADLY WRITTEN BUT I NEED TO GET THE INFO OUT THERE._

Whilst the Sibuna activities were happening, Amber was on her way to the PE department to grab her dance kit she'd left there.  
"Hey, Ambs!" came a voice. Blonde hair flying, Amber jerked her head to see a familiar blonde hair approaching.  
"Mick!" she squealed. "Hey, boo!"  
"You still call me boo," he chuckled, and alarmingly slung his arm around her. Amber felt herself blush remembering their past, but Alfie was still in her mind and her brain fuzzed with emotions.  
"I call everyone boo, practically," Amber told him, as well as herself.  
"Yeah, but I'm different. We're a thing," winked Mick. "Always have been."  
Amber managed to prise him away from her. "What?"  
"I still like you, babe. You know that, right?" Mick grinned. "You're my Juliet, yeah?"  
Romeo and Juliet had always been Amber and Alfie, since the day she'd called him 'the yummiest boy I've ever seen' and kissed him right there in drama class...it felt odd to be someone else's Juliet.  
"I don't know what to say." Amber's head was bursting because she liked Mick, but she liked Alfie, and she liked this attention, and he was so attractive, and her mind buzzed and burnt and she thought she might collapse.  
"Don't say anything. Text me your thoughts later, yeah?" winked Mick, sauntering off in the distance.

Amber sat down on the bench in the girl's PE changing room, resting her head in her hands. She felt pressure beside her, and looked up to see Alfie.  
"Alfie, this is the girl's!" she shrieked.  
"It's abandoned, babe, and you look upset. Are you okay?" Alfie asked, concerned. "Hey, I have good news! I ended it with Willow. She was surprisingly cheery. So we can be official Amfie."  
"No, we can't," Amber said softly. Silence filled the air, causing goose bumps to rise on Amber's skin in fear.  
"This is because of Mick, isn't it?" Alfie said finally. Amber mustered a gentle nod, and then Alfie was up and running out of the room.

All he wanted to was run. He wasn't even in school now, he was blustering through the gardens, head in a muddle and...  
"Hello, Alfred," came a gentle, silken voice. He turned around.  
"Amber?" he asked, but as the figure came closer, the woman's face was older. Miss Lacy. Suddenly, she revealed a large clock on a chain that she began to swing in front of his confused, enraptured eyes. "Alright, Alfred. You're going to tell me where your little gang has hidden the Shen Honey."


	18. Chapter 18

Alfie's dark eyes weren't his anymore. He was gazing at the clock, lips slightly parted, heart in his mouth. "The...the..."  
"Alfred, where is the Shen Honey hidden?" the clean, crisp voice repeated. Words came to Alfie's mind and sat at the end of his tongue, but something was keeping them back like morals. The clock swung thrice, and the morals melted and he lost his filter.  
"The third star hedge. Buried beneath it," he said monotonously. Miss Lacy pocketed the watch and tapped his head lightly.  
"Your friends will hate you now," she smirked, and then she was gone, and Alfie was blinking, confused.

The next night, Jerome and Mara had returned to the school for a rebellious late night date.

"You've always brought out the badass side of me, Jerome," giggled Mara, sliding her fingers in his and leaning her head against him slightly.  
"And you bring out my soft side, Jaffray," he replied, dropping a kiss on her forehead. "I've fallen for you all over again." He halted in the corridor, his hand drifting up to rest over the girl's cheekbone.  
"Have you?" whispered Mara, enraptured eyes gazing into his. A gentle smile formed on the boy's lips moments before he tilted his head down to kiss her. It was Mara who got closer, pulling her arms around him and squeezing him tight. Her lips broke from his. "Let's go make out in Sweetie's office."  
Jerome pulled away, laughing. "I really do bring out the badass in you!"

As the edged closer to the headmaster's office, the duo heard voices. Jerome heard them first, pulling Mara to the side and listening to the conversation. It was clear who were speaking: Miss Lacy and Victor.  
"Alfred was surprisingly easy to crack," chuckled Miss Lacy. Jerome perked a brow. "He must've been feeling emotionally vulnerable because his information trickled out like melted ice cream. Or like the Shen Honey, which we now have."  
Victor coughed. "Well, he's a good boy. Kind, you know, they usually can be hypnotised easier." Mara, although the situation was severe, had to place her hand over her lips to stop herself from laughing at Victor's odd compliment. A shriek of a chair being pushed was heard.  
"You're not going soft on me, are you? We're in this together, Victor. Do you want to live forever or not?"

Mara and Jerome gasped audibly, before racing out of the school to inform the others.

 **ALFIE**

When I woke up, it was dark. After checking my phone, I realised it was Tuesday night, though my last memory was being rejected by Amber on Monday night. I blinked, fingers massaging my temple. I was sat in the gardens, I noticed, and so I managed to find my way back to the house. Confusion filled my head as I stumbled past hedges, trying to work out what had happened. I had memories of silky blonde hair in the dark, pale skin, a gorgeous body – and an adult face. _Miss Lacy._ I pushed open the house door.

"Alfie, is that you? I've been so worried!" Amber was flying at me, grabbing me in a hug and squeezing me. "What happened?"  
"I – I don't know," I gabbled. "I just woke up in the gardens. I can't remember anything."  
"Can you remember our conversation?" asked Amber. I nodded, shrugging her off, saddened by the memory.  
"I can remember something to do with-"  
"Miss Lacy?" came a voice behind me. Jerome.

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

"How did you know?" asked Alfie, frowning at the breathless couple.  
"We've just been on a rather rebellious date at school, and we eavesdropped on a certain conversation," Mara said, folding her arms and applying a stern expression to her face. "By the looks of things, Alfie was hypnotised."  
"What?" gasped Sibuna, who had assembled in the confusion.  
"Yeah. And something about...Shen Honey?" contributed Jerome. Gasps of horror sounded throughout the building.

"They have the- they have the honey?" stammered Nina. "Alfie, you told them?"  
"Not consciously!" squealed Alfie, hands flying to his hand, hyperventilating. "Oh God."  
"Oh God indeed!" cried Fabian. "What are we supposed to do now?"  
"Recruit Jerome and I. We can help – I'll start researching this honey right away," decided Mara, her voice strict and final. The gang all nodded.  
"Let's get to it then. Everyone, get to your rooms and research. I'll try come up with a plan," Eddie commanded. "Nina can help because...well, Chosen One."

And each student separated, more determined than ever.


	19. Chapter 19

**MARA**

I did not sleep. My eyes stung and burnt, but adrenalin (and black coffee) kept me awake. Finally, I felt a sense of adventure and excitement beating through my veins, attaching to the journalist inside me, _finally, finally, finally._ I pulled up several Egyptology sites on the internet, and Jerome came in now and again with a fresh espresso for me.

"I don't know why they didn't recruit you sooner, baby," Jerome winked. "You're the journalist, after all. Top researcher."  
I forced a smile, desperate for him to leave so that I could continue scouring the web. Instead, he dropped a kiss on my forehead and sat beside me.  
"Found anything?" he wondered, wrapping his arms around me. I must admit, the heat of his body next to mine was a little more than nice, but I was busy, and the blush swimming in my cheeks had become uncomfortable.  
"Only a boyfriend who won't let me work in peace," I jested, and he giggled too, taking my joke too lightly and kissing me softly. My heart pounded in my chest, but my brain forced me to pull away.  
"Come on, Jerome. I need to help Sibuna. We don't know what's at stake," I argued.  
"You're right – we don't. We could be on the bad team. We should find out what's going on first," Jerome reasoned sensibly, but I shook my head and glared at my laptop screen.

My brown eyes widened. "I've found something! Something very interesting! Jerome, get the gang in here!"

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

Eddie, Patricia, Alfie, Fabian, Nina and Amber were herded into Mara's room by Jerome.  
"Well?" whined Amber, who had only taken half of her makeup off and wasn't feeling cheery, one side of her face pristine and the other sprinkled with (pretty, pink) spots.  
"I've found something," squealed Mara excitedly.  
"We also hatched a plan," added Eddie, but a fierce look from Mara shut him up. She cleared her throat and read out the text in front of her.  
"' _There were many myths and legends surrounding the mysterious Honey of Life, but one remains certain. Isis made it so that the honey could only be destroyed on the birth date of a specific Chosen One, a chosen human.'_ That's you, Nina."  
"We already knew that, to be fair," Alfie frowned.  
"No, wait! _'The honey can also only be used on this date. Eternal life can only be granted once a year.'_ "  
"That explains why Victor isn't already immortal, but it still doesn't help us. Can I talk about my plan now?" moaned Eddie.  
"Guys, be patient. _'To take the honey, one must simply eat it. To destroy it, it is said that the blood from the Chosen Two must intermingle over the golden honey at the exact hour – and then all shall be well."_ Mara finished with a flourish, shutting her laptop and flicking her hair. "Now we know what to do."  
"So Eddie and I have to mix our blood over the honey? Gross," said Nina. "But very helpful!"  
"You're amazing," grinned Jerome, slinging an arm around the grinning Mara and pulling her close.

"Me and Eddie were thinking the only way we can slyly steal the honey back from Lacy is after school, get into her office," Nina announced. "But we'd need keys."  
"We can't get keys. Only teachers have them, and we might have access to Mr Sweet thanks to Eddie here, but it's not the easiest option – he's the head teacher," Patricia said, shaking her head. An awkward silence swamped the room before Amber cleared her throat.  
"Willow's Mum is a teacher," she croaked. "If it's for Sibuna...I don't care. She needs to be involved. We need her help."  
"I'll ask her," Alfie volunteered. "I mean...we were a thing. We were..." he gulped. "A great thing. A great thing that I messed up for a not so great thing."  
Amber rolled her eyes. "Can we please put this all behind? It's not my fault things got complicated. We can still be friends." Alfie stood up and exited the room, Amber hot in pursuit.

"Look, we can't be friends, okay?" Alfie bit out. "I was in love with you. You led me on, Ambs, got me dump a girl who I should've stayed with. I still have feelings for her, you know. I just thought that me and you had more of a history, so it'd make more sense." He jerked his head away, refusing to look at her. Amber was quivering, his cruel but true words stinging. A tear threatened to melt her skin.  
"I didn't mean to lead you on, Alfie," Amber croaked. She tried to grasp his hand, but his palm slid away from hers, as if her flesh burnt his. "Alfie, please."  
"Do you love me?" Alfie demanded, turning to face her now. Her cheeks were pink, tearstained, but he didn't care anymore. He wanted her to put him out of his misery.  
"I don't think so," Amber whispered. "Not in the way I did. I- I'm sorry, but things got so complicated now that-"  
"Now that Mick's back. I get it," scoffed Alfie. "So you love him then?"  
"No! I don't know what I feel. But I know I like you both, and I can't choose," Amber protested. "Please, don't leave me. Don't leave me, I want to have you as a friend." Amber reached out again, and noticed a glass tear leaving Alfie's brown eye. He let her fingers mingle on his, and pulled her closer until their lips were centimetres apart, blue and brown eyes glazed with tears.

Silence and broken thoughts sat between their lips. "You'll always be my Romeo," Amber smiled softly through the sobs. "Just not right now."  
"I'll always love you, you know that?" responded Alfie, eyes resting on her pink lips. "Even if I love Willow. There'll always be a part of me that loves you. You've been my dream since day one."  
Then it was Amber who closed the gap between their mouths, squeezing her eyes closed so that the dormant tears rushed down and rested on her lip. They kissed, and it hurt, and Amber didn't ever want to pull away but she also didn't want to stay with him forever. That frozen moment, with salty waves and his fingers lost in the waterfall of her golden hair, her hands placed on his soft skin for the final time...it was tragic. Heartbreaking. Like their relationship was dying in their arms. Like Romeo and Juliet.

Finally, they broke away, an understanding between them. "Now you," grinned Amber, dragging a hand over her face to smudge the tears, "you go be happy. You go- you go get Willow to help us too, okay?"  
"Okay," nodded Alfie, and Amber closed her eyes so she didn't have to watch him walking down the stairs to the living room. Then, the sobs tore through her body because this was it. The true break up. The last page of the _Amfie_ scrapbook, and it was still beautiful and poetic, like it was supposed to be. But Amber knew she couldn't cling onto a past love just because it was once magnificent, and Alfie knew he couldn't keep hoping for Amber to fall desperately in love with him again.

 **WILLOW**

My fingers were shaking a little as I held onto my spiritual magazine. I was on a page about love spells, and couldn't help thinking about my recent breakup with Alfie. I guess I should've known it was coming; he was desperately infatuated with Amber. It was obvious. I just assumed that he'd love me anyway, but I was wrong. I looked up from my reading and saw that Alfie himself was walking in, skin smooth as ever, eyes deep and dark as ever. He looked upset.

"Alfie, are you okay?" I asked, voice cheerful as usual. I saw a smile flicker over his features.  
"I will be," he said. "Me and Amber...I think we just broke up. Even though we weren't together." I perked a brow.  
"Makes sense," I nodded. "Sometimes you have to end things with a make believe relationship. I've done that with my imaginary friend so many times but he always comes back." That made him chuckle as he came and sat beside me.  
"Willow, I made a huge mistake," Alfie sighed. "I was in love with my idea of Amber, but she's a real girl, and she didn't love me. Not as much as I wanted to her, anyway."  
"Oh," I responded. "But you still love her?"  
Alfie was silent. "No. I think that was closure, real closure. My thing with Amber was my dream, I loved this dream girl with long silky blonde hair and a funny personality. I broke up with someone who was real. A real true love. You."  
"Maybe one day we'll be back in a place where we can discuss...us. But not right now," I said hurriedly, panic rising in me. Alfie nodded, grinning.  
"Good enough for me. Anyway, I have a proposition for you..."

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

Alfie proceeded to tell Willow...everything. She listened, dark eyes wide, lips slightly parted, as if he was telling her a story. "You need me to steal from Mummy?" she finally asked.  
"Yeah...is that okay?" frowned Alfie, gingerly. Willow seemed to consider it for a minute, before baring her teeth in a manic grin.  
"Sure!" she squealed. "This will be so exciting! I love saving the world! Squeeeeeee!"After tugging the boy into a huge embrace, she hauled him upstairs ecstatically to find Sibuna and tell them the good news. When they burst into the room Sibuna was assembled in, Willow felt a little chilly as she noticed Amber's sky-blue eyes drift over her and Alfie's clasped hands. Dropping his palm immediately, Willow announced that she was officially involved in the mystery.

"Great," grinned Nina. "So what's the full plan then?"


	20. Chapter 20

So that night, with Sibuna tailing her for safety, Willow went to visit her mother in the teacher's quarters.

 **WILLOW**

I turned, relieved to see my friends so close behind me. Knocking on Mum's door thrice, I waited nervously, guilt already hanging over my heart because I was about to steal from her. The door creaked open, and I smiled at the side of my Mum in her purple spotty headscarf.  
"Wills?" smiled Mum. "What are you doing, love? Come on in." I giggled, following her orders, eyes already darting all over the place in search of the keys.  
"Oh, I just wanted a green teabag. We've run out back at Anubis," I lied, adrenalin beating through me because I was basically saving the world. Mum shrugged, knowing it was the kind of thing I'd come over for...and I saw a collection of keys hanging on a hook. When she turned to get the green tea, I snaffled the keys, took the teabag, hugged Mum, and then I was gone.

Mission accomplished.

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

As Willow immerged from her Mother's, the gang assembled around her. "Did you get it?" asked a shivering Patricia, who was wrapped up in her boyfriend's embrace as it was freezing outside.  
"Yep," winked Willow, showing the keys. "Which one is it?"  
"The skeleton key that can unlock all the rooms at school. The littlest one," Eddie said. "I've seen Dad's."  
"Good job, Willow," congratulated Amber, three single words which set Willow's heart alight because she'd looked up to Amber for so long. Willow did a deep curtsey.  
"Thank you, Queen Amber," she replied earnestly, causing the gang to laugh affectionately.  
"So, Phase 2 of the plan. Someone has to break into Lacy's office," Fabian said, pulling an awkward face. "Any volunteers?"  
"Me." It was Amber who spoke, and everyone looked greatly surprised. "I haven't contributed much. I feel bad. I need a partner, though."  
"I'll go! I haven't exactly contributed either," piped up Jerome. Amber nodded at him.  
"When should we go?" she asked.  
"How about now? Time's running out," shrugged Mara. "We'll wait for you guys back at Anubis. Is that okay?"

It was okay.

 **AMBER**

Jerome and I crept back to the school, quivering. "Are you okay, Amber?" I heard him ask.  
"What? Sure. Why wouldn't I be?" I gabbled, pulling my arms around myself.  
"Willow and Alfie, maybe?" Jerome prompted. "They're kind of cosy now." I let myself exhale deeply. I pulled my fingers through my hair, biting my lip. "So Mick told me he liked me. It messed my brain up. I can't be with Alfie, so I can't be sad when he's with someone else." That didn't stop my voice from breaking, though, or stop a tear that soundlessly slid over my features.  
"Hey, are you crying?" Jerome asked, stopping me and gazing intently into my face. I blushed. It felt weird to be this close to a boy who wasn't Alfie or Mick. "Dude, don't. It's not worth it."

Then, to my surprise, Jerome pulled a protective arm around me in an embrace. "It'll get better."  
I nodded. "Thanks, Jerome," I smiled, and we continued sleuthing up to the school...his arm didn't budge though. Was this the start of a new friendship?

 **JEROME**

I felt a surge of pain thinking about Amber's tears, and so snugly fit her under my arm as we walked to the school. Holding her close was odd. It felt like I was holding someone...I _liked._ Weird. Eventually, I let my arm fall, remembering how deeply in love I was with Mara, the love of my life. My lips twitched into a smile as I thought of Mara. Mara, with her ebony hair and round nose and adorable little eyes...and her kisses. I could feel them on my lips when I thought about them. Finally, we came up to the school, and slid in effortlessly.

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

As the couple approached Lacy's room, Amber quickly checked to see if anyone was inside. Nobody was to be seen, and so they quickly unlocked the door and slipped inside.  
"I feel like I'm doing a jewellery heist," Amber giggled, causing Jerome to grin.  
"You're such an idiot," he remarked fondly. "Where's the honey?" They spent a good five minutes scouring the room, until Amber noticed a small wooden box beneath Lacy's desk.  
"Can you pick locks?" she enquired, handing the boy the box and a hair grip.  
"Sure can," Jerome grinned. "Not just a pretty face."  
"Are you even a pretty face?" chortled Amber, but gasped as Jerome cracked the box and a golden pot of honey stood before them. "Cool," she breathed, "now let's get out of here."

"You got it!" squealed Nina, racing towards the duo. "Well done, guys!"  
"Where can we hide it, though?" Eddie wondered. "They've seen through everything."  
"I'll carry it around with me," Patricia decided. "They said you can't be hypnotised if you're mean. And I'm the meanest," she said smugly, holding out her palm. Nina nodded, laughing.  
"I still remember my first year here," she winked, handing Patricia the honey. "Please don't lose it."  
"I won't. All our necks are on the line," Patricia reassured her, holding the honey close. "Nothing can go wrong now."


	21. Chapter 21

In another room, KT and Joy were having yet another date. This one was just a movie night, Joy cuddled up in KT's loving arms, tilting her face up for the occasional kiss. After the film, the couple had a short nap. KT woke up first.

 **KT**

She was beautiful. Covered in my lilac duvet, expression indifferent in slumber, tangled chocolate hair slipping over her eyes...she was positively ethereal. I could've whispered marriage vows, I could've proposed, I was so desperately besotted in that moment. That was when everything clicked into place. When the burning in my heart formed a word in my brain. _Love._ I saw Joy's eyelashes dance as her eyes fluttered open, insanely brown orbs of beauty. "Hey, cu-tie K-T," she giggled sleepily, laughing at her own joke.  
"I love you," I whispered, the words leaving my mouth and settling over her heart, swirling like fragrant notes of compassion and beauty. Then, I saw them crumble as she didn't say them back. My girlfriend sat up, raked a hand through her hair. "Joy?"  
"KT," she said, facing me again. "That means a lot. Thank you. Really." She leaned in, as if to kiss me, but I backed away.  
"You don't love me?" I asked, the words empty, my chest empty. I felt like I was falling off a building.  
"Well, I mean, _Jerome_ and I were still together not long ago and I-"  
" _What? Jerome?_ " My voice was loud now, as I practically jumped out of bed, hands flying to my hair.

"Come on, KT!" protested Joy, looking up at me. "You can't expect me to be over him. Not properly. Not fully."  
"Yes, I can!" I exploded. "When you said yes to my date-proposal, that was you saying 'it's you, KT! Only you!'. Not 'I still love Jerome but I think you're okay so I'll make out with you daily and then break your heart when you open up to me'!" Tears of anger and heartbreak threatened to form.  
"The fact that part of me is still infatuated with my ex doesn't belittle how I feel for you, KT!" Joy cried, and I saw real tears welling up in her eyes.  
"Yes it does. Because you love him too much to even say you love me. This is disgusting, Joy. I can't believe you." I shook my head, trying to comprehend the situation, make sense of what she was saying. "Why would you hurt me like this?"

She stood up, grabbing at my wrists, touching me, but I shook her off because her fingers hurt like her words. "No. Don't," I croaked, and she feebly tried to press her lips against mine in some attempt to rectify the situation, but I pushed her off. "Don't bother. It's..." I gulped, because these words stabbed me. "It's over."

I knew where I needed to be. I needed Eddie to comfort me like old times, I needed to be with my best friend. I tore downstairs, running towards his room, but then I heard voices. I paused.  
"So, Patricia's got the honey then?" It was Alfie.  
"Yep." Patricia.  
"We can't tell anyone. Vow by the sacred laws of Sibuna!" Amber. _Sibuna?  
_ And then I heard several voices uttering the same word. "Sibuna." I threw open the door, face disgusted, looking at my 'friends'.  
"Sibuna? Something's been going on, and you've left me out of it?" I said, voice soaked in anguish.  
"KT, you don't-"  
"Save it, Eddie. You're all fake in this house. You're all as fake as each other." Then my legs were running again, only this time I knew my safety was outside. Joy was on the stairs, calling me, begging me to come back but I was flying through the door, beating the ground with my feet, until I couldn't make sense of where I was.

"KT?" a familiar voice came. I turned around. "Are you alright, dear?"  
"Miss Lacy," I sobbed. "I don't know where I am. Please help me." I saw a smile pass over her lips, a glint form in her eye.  
"How about you help me instead, KT?"


	22. Chapter 22

**STILL KT**

"Sure...what do you want, Miss?" I asked, feeling a little uncomfortable. I didn't like the look in her eye.  
"Just be a good girl and obey your teacher, KT," Miss Lacy smiled, and I saw her take out a black strip of material. "Please put this over your mouth and come with me."  
"What?" I laughed. "Is this a...joke?"  
"No. Put this on, KT," Miss Lacy demanded, stepping forward. I flinched, and broke into a run, tearing through unknown lands...but Miss Lacy caught up with me after ten seconds, sharp nails digging into my arm, yanking my head back and tying a band around my mouth. I screamed into the fabric.  
"No one can hear you, Little Lesbian," Miss Lacy hissed in my ear ( _author's note: Yet another reason to despise Miss Lacy: she's a homophobe. I feel sick writing her. She's vile)._ I trembled in her grasp. "You're going to come into a little abandoned warehouse with me, aren't you? Come quietly, yeah? Then your little idiot Sibuna friends can give me back my damn honey." I felt tears fall over me, panicking on my cheeks. She hauled me into a van, and then I was in darkness.

 **VICTOR**

I stroked Corbierre. "Am I a bad person, Corbierre?" I asked. His black eyes remained unresponsive. I sighed. Suddenly, the phone began to screech, making me jump. I picked up the phone.  
"Victor. It's me," came the melodic voice that belonged to the beautiful, sick-minded individual I was working with.  
"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice obviously not caring.  
"The little wretches stole our honey, Victor. So I stole their little friend." The sadistic tone sent shivers down my spine, and I bristled.  
"What? You did what?" I yelled.  
"I have KT here. She's mine, until they give us the honey. I'm taking her into that old warehouse."  
"What old warehouse? Look, you can't just- just kidnap an innocent girl! No, I won't have a part in this, bring her back!" I was screaming now. "Bring her back!"  
"Oh. Pity. All the more honey for me, then." And then she hung up.

I felt blood beating around my body, my face scarlet. I was an accessory to _abduction._ Vomit sat at the back of my throat, threatening to make an appearance. I noticed the gang of youths assembling outside my office, and I decided to forget destiny, forget immortality. I needed to be human. I beckoned them in.

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

Every resident of the Anubis House crammed into Victor's office.  
"What's going on?" asked Joy, who was still emotional from her breakup. "I need to see KT."  
"That's why you're here, silly girl," Victor grumbled. "I'm sure most of you know Miss Lacy and I have been...after immortality." The students gasped – he'd admitted it? "But she's just abducted a student, and I won't work with such a vile, inhumane creature. We're going to get this student back."  
"What?" Patricia was alarmed. "Someone's been abducted?" Distressed calls erupted around the room.  
"Who was taken?" Mara finally asked.  
"KT," Victor responded, face clearly upset. Immediately, everybody turned to look at Joy, whose face crumbled and melted and who began to instantly sob.  
"No. No, no!" Joy hyperventilated. "No! This is a prank. Jerome, this is a prank? Jerome, Alfie, is this a prank?" Joy was angry, and her arm jerked to strike Jerome.  
"No," he whispered in reply. "It's not."  
"Oh God, she's gone!" Joy cried. "And she thinks I love you! I love her! Oh God!" She was gone, out of the door, tearing to her room.

"I'll go see if she's okay," Mara said, though she was visibly quaking too.  
"Will you come back?" asked Jerome. "Sibuna, remember?" But Mara looked away from him.  
"This is too much, it's not an adventure anymore. I can't be in Sibuna. And I can't be with you if you are, Jerome, I'll be too worried," Mara shrugged, leaving Jerome stricken and confused.  
"But – I can't back out now, babe," he protested.  
"Then I'll have to back out of our relationship. It was coming to a close anyway."

After Mara left, Jerome found himself running to his room in streaks of tears, telling the gang he'd be back later but needed...time. "Someone should go after him," Alfie said. "But..not me."  
Silence filled the room. "I'll go," grumbled Amber, trailing downstairs after the boy.

 **AMBER**

I creaked open his door, gingerly looking inside. Jerome was bent over his bed, face hidden but clearly in messes of tears. "J...Jerome?" I croaked, heart suddenly squeezing at the sight of a human in pain.  
"Amber, get lost," he mumbled indistinctively. But that wasn't going to happen. I marched up to him, swinging the door shut, and pulled him into my arms.  
"No way," I whispered onto his shoulder. He was quivering in my tight embrace. "You didn't let me cry over Alfie. I won't let you cry over Mara. You made the right decision – she can't handle the weight of Sibuna, but you can. We need you, Jerome Clarke." And then we sat there for what felt like forever, sinking back onto the bed in a wordless, constant embrace.  
"You're a good friend, Amber," I heard him mumble eventually, before the tiredness of the day took over and I napped on his bed with a gentle smile on my face.

Suddenly, mid-dream, my eyes snapped open. He was still there, his body close to mine, his arms around my waist in sleep...and I realised. I wasn't crushing on Alfie. I wasn't crushing on Mick. _I was crushing on Jerome Clarke._ I fought the urge to flee the situation, lying uncomfortable in this cuddle position...and oh, it felt so nice. But guilt sat over me. I was taking advantage of his vulnerability, wasn't I? That thought made me slide out of his arms, which woke him from his nap.  
"We've only been out like...five minutes. They won't have missed us," I babbled, patting down my hair. Jerome smiled at me softly.  
"Let's go do some world-saving then, yeah?" And he sat up, grabbed my hand, and tugged me out the door.

The butterflies were intense.

 **JOY**

Mara was speaking to me, but her words were just bees buzzing in my brain. My fingers were shaking. All I could think of was her, my KT, my wonderful girlfriend- ex girlfriend. Because of the ghost of my infatuation with Jerome. I'd been so blind to my own emotions, so internally heteronormative that my own body couldn't accept how desperately besotted I was with KT.  
"Listen, Mara, I get you're trying to help me but...you're not," I said, voice clipped and clearly irritated.  
"I get what you're going through! Look, I just broke up with Jerome and everythi-"  
"No, you don't. If you did, you'd get me my coat." I stood up, grabbed the fur-lined jacket, slid it on and despite Mara's protests, tore out of the house. I was going to find KT.

It was a few hours and I was still blindly trying to find her, looking for clues. Then I heard a voice. ( _author's note: no prizes for guessing who she hears xD)._ It was Miss Lacy, the Achievement Education teacher. "Hello, Joy," she smiled sweetly. I shivered. "You look upset."  
"Have you seen KT, Miss? You know, curly hair, big-"  
"Big brown eyes?" grinned Miss Lacy. "Yes, I kidnapped her. And now I'm kidnapping you. Two gay gals together, right?"

Then, with a swish of a stick, I saw black.


	23. Chapter 23

**JOY**

When I woke up, I felt sick. I was lying on the floor, head pounding, gazing up at a dank, dirty ceiling. "Joy?" came a familiar voice. "Joy, are you awake?" And then the ceiling was replaced by a warm face staring into mine.  
"KT, are we safe?" I whispered dozily, barely comprehending the fact that my kidnapped ex had just turned up.  
"No, she got you too," KT answered. "Sit up, baby. Come on now." I managed to sit up, leaning against a bunch of barrels. The dizziness cleared and KT's features were no longer blurry.  
"Where are we?" I asked, my fingers sliding into hers. I felt her pull away.  
"Some abandoned warehouse. The only time she comes to see us is in the morning, and we're fine as long as we...do everything she says. Don't say no to her, alright?" KT turned away and I saw a huge scar over her pretty skin. Suddenly, anger filled my stomach.  
"What did she do to you, KT?" I demanded, standing up, suddenly feeling more energised than ever before.  
"N-nothing! Look, sit down, she might come back early and if she catches you making noise-"  
"What will she do, scar me too? God, KT, what's she done?" Tears swept down my face as I sobbed.  
"When did you start caring, anyway? Where's Jerome?" KT bit back, and that was enough.

"We're getting out of here," I said. "We're getting out of here and then we're getting back together."  
"Got a plan, Oh Marvellous One?" KT said snippily. I nodded. My fingers slid into the pocket of my jeans and withdrew a small yellow lighter. "A lighter? Why do you have one of those?" she asked. "Do you...smoke?"  
"I was kind of addicted a few years back, when I was 13. Me and Patty did it, to try and be rebels, I guess. We quit when we grew brain cells, but after our breakup...I don't know, KT. I needed to relax. But right now, I don't need cancerous cigs, okay?" I breathed in deeply, psyching myself up, and marched up to the wooden warehouse door.

With a flick of my thumb, a tiny flame danced at the end of my lighter. KT stood up warily as I brushed the lick of red against the door, until the red caught on and was dancing up the door faster than ever.  
"We are burning this wood down, and we are getting out of here," I said.

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

Ten minutes later, the girls were outside, staring at a blazing warehouse. They both had minor burn marks as they had had to leap over the small dash of fire that stood in place of the door (though KT had chucked her glass of water over it to get rid of the majority), and had watched the place burn down. "Goal One achieved, I guess," Joy muttered.  
KT inhaled. "I want Goal Two to be achieved, Joy. But you don't love me like I want you to," she shrugged.  
"But I do! I love you, I love your eyes," Joy's fingers moved beside the orbs of brown, "your hands," Joy kissed her hands, "your lips, your lips, your lips." And then KT was pressing those lips against Joy's, and the fire burning in the background and the pain on their skin didn't matter anymore.

 _(super short chapter I know!_

 _I just wanted to thank everyone who reviews- there are a few seriously awesome readers who review all my chapters and it honestly makes me so happy. I love y'all.)_


	24. Chapter 24

**AMBER**

We had just finished discussing some sort of plan of action to rescue KT (to no avail – there were no clues) in Victor's office and I was walking up to my room, shivering. This was scary work. I understood why Mara left. Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm. I squealed, jumping away – but it was only Jerome. "I'm not kidnapping you," Jerome smiled. "Well, I might be. Alfie's on a...semi-date with Willow, I think. Come hang with me?" It was weird. I really didn't care that Alfie was on a date.  
"Sure," I nodded, and he took my hand and led me into his room.

"How are you then, Clarke?" I asked brightly as I sat down on his bed.  
"Better," he grinned. "I'm glad Mara and I broke up. I was getting...uh, I was getting bored of her again." I perked a brow.  
"That's rude, Jerome," I tutted.  
"No, it's a thing I do. I get completely obsessed with girls, then totally lose interest. I was mainly sad because she dumped me, y'know? It was meant to be the other way around, I guess," Jerome shrugged. My heart sunk. So even if Jerome ever liked me back, he'd just discard me eventually? Wonderful.

 **JEROME**

Oh God. Amber looked very uncomfortable. "What's up? What did I say?" I'd only just become good friends with her and she was already running away.  
"Nothing," she smiled tightly, running a hand through her Rapunzel hair. That hair. Ever since we snuck into school to get the honey together, it's all I had been able to think about...the silky hair, and how it felt brushing against my cheek when we embraced, and how since that day I had lost interest in Mara. "No, tell me," I demanded, crossing my arms.  
"Well, you get tired of people, don't you? I mean...well, if someone liked you, you'd just get rid of them eventually," she said, meek.  
"Not if they were extraordinary," I winked, trying to make light of the situation.  
"It's hard to know what that means, Jerome," Amber scowled. Before I could blink, she was stood up and walking out of the door. I obviously tore after her.

"Wait! What's got into you, Ambs?" I called, grasping her arm. She jerked her head towards me.  
"Stupid Ambs, right? Well, this generic, average, everyday girl is falling for you, Jerome. Which sucks, because even if you did ever like me back, you'd end up dumping me!" She pulled her arm free.  
"You- you're falling for me?" I asked, dumbfounded. How could such an exquisite masterpiece like Amber fall for me? She nodded. "I know it's strange because I'm basically a queen and you're a joker but...I like jokers, Jerome. And you're a serious joker. If you get me." Immediately, my arms flew around her waist.

"I like you too, Ambs," I smiled. "And if I hadn't just been dumped, I'd be asking you out. But I need time. Until then...can we agree to be a-little-more-than-friends?"  
Amber giggled. "Definitely." Tilting her gorgeous face up, she captured me in the most breathtaking kiss I had ever took part in. It was odd. Amber's idea of a normal kiss was the most passionate embrace I had ever felt – Mara's passion was positively vanilla next to this casual smooch.

"Sorry, are we interrupting something?" came a clipped voice. We jumped apart to see Mara and Mick stood in front of us.

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

Awkwardness hung in the air. "No, we were just-" gabbled Amber, before she was interrupted.  
"Just making out, Ambs. I get it," grumbled Mick. "Guess I came here for nothing. I just wanted you back, babes."  
"Mick, I'm sorry," Amber frowned. "But you basically forced me to get over you when you moved onto Mara." She twiddled her thumbs slightly. Mara's face had crumbled into a look of complete disgust and disappointment.  
"I broke up with you yesterday, Jerome. How could you move on so quickly? I wanted to get back together!" she whined, inching closer to the boy and wrapping her fingers round his. "I still love you, and you still love me. Amber's just another...fascination of yours, okay?"  
Amber perked a brow. "Whatever, Book Babe. I might not have the grades you have, or have those stupidly lovely big eyes, but I do have the self confidence to not let those surprisingly idiotic words hurt me. If I'm just an infatuation of Jerome, which I better not be, then it just means I'm infatuating. Fascinating. Okay? Now I'm going to wash my hair," and with a toss of the aforementioned hair, Amber disappeared upstairs, Mick following her.

"I don't love you, Mara," Jerome frowned. "And anyway, you dumped me, remember? You don't call the shots anymore. I'm allowed to be more-than-friends with the whole school if I want."  
"Ha! I knew she was just a crush. You want to get with everyone. You'll come crawling back," giggled Mara, reeling him in as if to kiss him. He backed away.  
"I said if I want. I don't want. I just want her right now. I feel like I'm...ugh, what's a metaphor you'll understand? Okay, I'm a dormant volcano. And all these Amber feelings have been bubbling up somewhere for ages, and now being friends with her just triggered them all and I'm soaking with this lava and magma because I suddenly have feelings for her. Okay?"  
"Science metaphors. You know I'm a sucker for them, but you're an active volcano when I'm around," Mara simpered, standing up on her tiptoes and kissing the boy fully on the lips. When he broke away, scowling, she blushed. "I'll be waiting for you, once you're done with your latest obsession."

Before Jerome could argue, the door burst open and in stumbled a bedraggled KT and Joy, leaning on each other. "Oh my God!" Mara gasped. "I'll get some-"  
"Water, please," rasped KT, finishing her sentence. Mara tore off into the kitchen as the rest of the house gathered to see what was happening.

"Joy!" squealed Patricia, running downstairs and capturing her best friend in her arms, dragging KT into the rough embrace. "I've been so- I've been so worried. What happened?"  
Before the girls could explain, a booming voice was heard. "Joy. KT. My office," Victor drawled.  
"He's with us now," hissed Patricia.

Up in Victor's office, KT and Joy were holding hands beneath the table.  
"I want you to tell me what happened. You can trust me – I've retired my efforts," Victor grumbled. "I've cut off Lacy, and Mr Sweet has disallowed her to come back to school."  
KT exchanged a glance with her girlfriend, eyes falling to her lap. "She kidnapped me. Took me to a warehouse," she croaked. "Then a day later, Joy was there. She burnt the place down."  
"What with?" frowned Victor, and Joy shakily placed the lighter on the desk.  
"It's a bad habit, I know," she babbled. "But it came in handy. For once."  
"It doesn't matter," Victor decided. "All that matters is that you're both here, and safe. And I will keep you all safe until the destroying day arrives. Now go, get some rest."

And that's exactly what they did. Sleeping in eachother's arms, the girls had the most peaceful sleep in the world.

 _This was crap crap crap crap im sorry_


	25. Chapter 25

The next few days were...quiet. It felt odd. They were all practically under house arrest, Victor fearing that Miss Lacy might be lurking, and were all psyching themselves up before the honey day arrived. It gave each student a chance to be a normal teenager – concerned about love and friends, not Egyptian relics.

One certain Anubis resident was _not_ obeying the rules.

Beside the lake in the woods, Amber Millington was leaning against a tree, gazing out onto the water. Sunlight glimmered over the glassy pool and danced along each strand of golden hair, even adding a certain shimmer to her eyes. She knew Lacy could be around, but she didn't care. All Amber wanted was peace and quiet to dull the buzz in her brain; Mara had been awful to her, tossing dirty glares at her, and Mick hadn't been any better, unable to look at her at all. Sometimes, it felt like Jerome had been the worst. He hadn't spoken to her since their kiss. Maybe he had already discarded her.

Amber's eyes fluttered to a close as she slumped back, listening to the wind whisper in her ears. Footsteps sounded nearby, but she wasn't alarmed. How could she be alarmed when the wind was singing so softly?  
"I knew you'd be here." The voice was familiar, but it wasn't melodic or silky. In fact, it was a voice that made her eyes snap open and heart beat faster. Jerome was smiling as he walked towards her, raking a hand through his hair.  
"How? It's my peace place," Amber sung, giggling, eyes falling to stare at her lap.  
"It's mine, too. I lied before, about knowing you'd be here. I was coming here to think," Jerome chortled, flopping down beside her.  
"About us?" Amber winked jokily, but he nodded nevertheless. "Oh."  
"Yesterday was...intense," Jerome murmured, staring out into the lake. The water calmed him like it had soothed Amber. "The kiss was amazing. You were amazing. But Mara..."  
"I get it. She's always been the one, Jerome," Amber finished. "I'll move on. Eventually. I mean, Mick's already in love wi-"  
"No!" Jerome interrupted, hand grasping hers. "I meant Mara created an unnecessary scene. I don't want us to be public, Ambs, because of that reason. All my relationships have always been fragile. This could be fragile too."

Amber blushed. "It didn't feel fragile," she smirked. "It felt strong, actually."  
"That's because we're good kissers," laughed Jerome. "But you're right. It was everything I could want in a kiss. Odd, because you know it's _you._ I never knew I'd feel these feelings for you."  
"Likewise, but it happened," shrugged Amber. "It just feels right. Weird, but right."

"I always thought that Mara was the one," Jerome uttered. "I mean, she's gorgeous, smart...perfect, right? But she wasn't. She was my dream, but that was it. She was a dream."  
Amber's brows furrowed. "Like the Manic Pixie Dream Girl type. I think that's who I was, for Alfie. He liked me because of how I looked. I was his dreamy dream," she sighed. "I was just a dream."  
"Not to me, Ambs," Jerome then smiled, and took her face in his hands, forcing her blue eyes to bore into his. "You're so real, I feel real. I can tell you who I am, I can confess to all my flaws, and it's fine. You're not a character in a film, or a girl in a book. You're Amber, in my life."  
Amber's throat ceased and she thought she might cry, this was so intense. Real. She had always been an icon, a _celebrity_ almost. But to Jerome, she was human, and it felt amazing.

"I don't care about your flaws," she managed to croak. "They make you a person, don't they?"  
Jerome's lips slid into a smile as his eyes glazed with tears, tears that visualised how moved he was feeling. "I know I'm going to fall, Amber. I will be in love with you," he whispered.  
"I will be in love with you too," Amber responded. The kiss that followed did not taste of strawberries. It did not freeze the couple in time, and it was not soaked in rain and Paris. It was just two teenagers connected at the lips, disobeying their elders, still in school uniforms.

Meanwhile, back at the house, Mick and Mara were discussing the situation.  
"I can't believe it," Mara fumed. "He _loves_ me, and they've totally snuck out together!"  
Mick rolled his eyes. This was getting dull. "I guess we'll just have to deal with it," he shrugged. "I called Dad – I'm going back to sports school. I only came back for her; Dad wanted me to propose and everything. He loves her, not in the same way I do, though." Mick bit his lip. "I wish I'd kept her before. I messed it all up."  
"What is it with boys loving me first then ditching me for her?" Mara stood up angrily, grabbing the boy's hand. "You loved me, too! Before I went for Jerome!"  
"It was more of a mild crush-" but then Mara smashed her lips against his, wrapping her arms around him. Mick struggled, pushing the girl off.  
"What the hell, Mara? That's harassment!" he yelped. ( _I know, I know...our beloved Mara is coming off kinda bitchy. I apologise, but Jamber is something I wanted to try!)_ Mick backed away, glaring at her as if she was a monster. Mara's fingers traced the lips she had stained with him, as if she had realised what had happened. "Oh God," she whispered. "I'm sorry. Mick, I'm sorry."  
Mick shook his head, backing out of the room as Mara sunk onto the bed.

Stinging tears pooled in her eyes. Fabian had reminded her of her kind self, but Jerome had reverted her back to...mean Mara. How could she let him have so much control?


	26. Chapter 26

_This chapter will be fluffy and relationshippy. I thought I'd give the students some time to be teenagers before STUFF. GETS. REAL. Trust me, there's a LOT of action planned as we near the end._

 **KT**

"I'm bored," Joy whined, and that teased a giggle out of me. There'd been so much action in the few days, and she was complaining about being unable to leave the house?  
"I'm not. In a duvet burrito with the gal I love? Sounds like perfection to me," I winked, slinging an arm around her and drawing her in closer. Her lips twitched into a smile as she leaned close and planted a short kiss on my own.  
"It would be perfection," she teased, "if you made me a cup of tea. I'm parched."  
"You have me wrapped around your little finger, Mercer," I rolled my eyes. "But not right now. Right now, I just want to be with my girlfriend." And I pulled her close again, pressing my lips against hers, hands flying to her hair. She responded enthusiastically, kissing me back, winding her arms around my waist. When we broke apart, and her eyes slid open, I could've fainted. She was beautiful, each feature perfectly placed.

"I love you," she murmured, finger tracing my cheekbone. It felt so satisfying when she uttered those words.  
"I love you too," I grinned, sitting up. "But honey, now I'm going to go make you some hot tea. Do you wanna know why?"  
"Because you love me, and I'm adorable," Joy simpered, winking cheekily. I laughed, raking a hand through my hair as I got up.  
"Sort of. But you deserve hot tea, because you are a hot-tie," I chortled, running away before she could chuck a pillow at me for my poor joke.

 **3** **rd** **PERSON**

Meanwhile, Nina and Fabian were locked up in the attic. Nina was, as she had been for days, staring at the honey emptily. Fabian was twitching. "Nina, you need to eat. Put that down," he finally said, causing her head to jerk his way.  
"No, Fabian! KT and Joy got kidnapped! Why does no one take the danger we're in seriously?" Nina exploded, slamming the pot down on her bed. "Amber and Jerome snuck out, probably to make out. Do they not know how dangerous that is? It's ridiculous! They could get kidnapped, tortured, by that damn Miss La-"  
"Nina." Fabian interrupted her, hands going to rest upon her waist. Her lips closed as she stared at him, waiting for whatever he had to say. Silence filled the space between them for a moment, before Fabian decided that words weren't enough. Fluttering his eyes closed, Fabian closed the gap in between them and sealed it with a kiss. Nina's eyes stayed open, bulging in shock, before they slid closed in time as she wound her arms around him. It was Fabian who broke the kiss, fingers falling over her collarbone. He felt for her necklace, finding it and holding up the promise ring attached.  
"I don't think I want to wait anymore, Nina," he whispered. "Be my girlfriend."  
Nina's eyes rose to meet his, before she let herself smile. "Of course."

In another room, Mara was sloping out of the door. Her heart was heavy; she felt disgusted with herself, forcing her lips upon Mick's like that. Her head jerked up as she heard giggling, and saw Jerome and Amber strolling into the house, his arm slung around her casually. They froze on seeing her, but she mustered up a smile, melting them.  
"I'm cool with it," she spoke, before walking up to her room, feeling lighter already.

And Patricia and Eddie were relaxing in the living room, too, blissfully happy. Her head rested on his shoulder, occasionally moving to press her lips against his neck as they watched stupid sitcoms and laughed so much that their stomachs hurt. "I love you," Eddie grinned, rubbing her head.  
"I'm not a dog," Patricia barked, grabbing the hand and holding it. "But I love you too."  
"I know," Eddie winked. "And soon, all this will be over, and we can be a normal couple. Excited?"  
"Let's face it, babe. We'll never be normal," chortled Patricia. "But yeah, I am."

"Keep it PG, kids," Alfie snorted as he and Willow walked through the room.  
"Look who's talking!" guffawed Eddie. "Might wanna move your hand off of Willow's butt before you start preaching, kid." Alfie blushed bright red, hand falling to his side. The duo slid awkwardly into the kitchen, probably to make some vegan cupcakes Willow had just found the recipe for.

Everything was great. Everyone was happy.

But not for long.


	27. Chapter 27

_More fluffy relationship stuff before the ACTION! I wanted to tie the loose ends to keep my lovely readers happy. Your reviews make me a very happy_

 **MARA'S POV**

I was in the shower, washing the sadness from my skin. Still, I was feeling much better since I had internally accepted Amber and Jerome as a couple – although my brain might never be able to comprehend how they were compatible, I was definitely going to give them a shot at happiness. I reached for my _Snow Fairy_ shower gel and popped open the lid, inhaling the candyfloss scent and closing my eyes. Sure, I loved Jerome. Every inch of me loved him, from the tips of my toes to the ends of my hair. I could close my eyes and smell his weird Lynx deodorant hanging all over my clothes, or feel his lips on mine, as soft and light as velvet. And I knew Jerome had loved me too, in his own odd way. I knew he had loved me because of the way he had once looked at me; irises melting over his pupils, as if I was the only girl on the planet. But love wasn't enough for either of us, because Jerome was toxic – at least, when it came to me. His devious ways had always brought out the worst in me, and it was time I stopped letting him poison me. It wasn't even his fault – we were two perfectly good chemicals reacting together, and the products were never nice. I put down my pink shower gel and smiled to myself. I hoped that he and Amber had a better chemical reaction, and I hoped I would find someone I would be compatible with too. And maybe Jerome and I would react better as friends.

I stepped out of the shower and towelled myself dry, sliding into some comfortable pyjamas, and dried my hair, before going downstairs with plans to watch some good TV shows. When I opened the living room door, I saw him. Slouching on the sofa, enveloped by it, messy hair sticking up all over his head. My lips twitched into a grin. "Hey, Jerome. Can I talk to you?" I asked. He looked up, alarmed.  
"Look, Mara, I've told you. I'm not interested in-"  
"Wait," I stopped him. "I don't want to be your girlfriend anymore, alright? I just want to talk."  
Jerome shrugged, and gestured for me to sit beside him, which I did. It felt a little strange to be sitting beside him, our bodies so close, without him wrapping his arms around me. Our romance had become so normalised in my mind that it was alien when it wasn't occurring. I hated that. I had once compared my love for Jerome to an alcoholic's addiction to drinking – I stood by that statement.

"I'm not going to say I don't have feelings for you, Jerome, because that's a lie," I breathed. "And I won't believe you if you try and say you don't have feelings for me, either. It's Jerome and Mara. It's like...Amber and Alfie, you know? Like Nina and Fabian. It's just there."  
Jerome's eyes studied me steadily, and I saw his head nod slightly.  
"But I also know you have feelings for Amber as well. And your feelings for her are larger than your feelings for me, right? That's good, I guess, because you might be better together. We ruin each other, Jerome, when we get together like that," I whispered, and felt tears pricking my eyes.  
"You're so right," Jerome laughed gently. "I do still have feelings for you. I always have, always will," he shrugged. "Even if they're silent, they're there. But they're not present enough for me to pursue them, because my feelings for Amber...man, they're something else. I am so falling for her. And I don't want to ruin you anymore, Mar. I tried to preserve you last time we dated, but I failed. We failed. We crash and burn when we fall in love."  
I nodded, wiping a straggling tear and staring at him. "So let's agree never to fall in love with each other again, yeah?" I mustered up a smile. He nodded. "I'm so happy for you, Jerome. I'm so happy you've found someone. And I'll be the best friend you could ask for, right? I'll be here with girl advice, relationship tips, anything."  
"And I'll be the same, when you need it," winked Jerome. "You've always been better at romance than me."  
"A pig would be better than you, Clarke," I chortled. Then we were quiet, grinning at each other, and he leaned forward and crushed me in the warmest embrace I had ever been a part of. And when my eyes fell closed, I realised that this hug felt so much more natural than any kiss he had ever given me. Than any romantic words he had ever whispered. And my heart beat louder, because I had fallen for the boy all over again, but differently. This time, I was in love with his friendship. I loved him platonically.

And it was going to be okay.

 **3** **rd** **person**

Elsewhere in the house, Nina and Fabian were being a couple. They had been kissing solidly for a long, long time, and both were beginning to feel a gentle pain in their lips. However, it would take a meteor for them to break apart – or a smile. In fact, they kept on smiling, and having to pull away because of it.  
"Nina, your mouth is swollen," Fabian giggled sheepishly. Nina's fingers touched her red apple lips, and her cheeks flushed.  
"Oops," she grinned, eyes falling to his fingers, which had wrapped around hers. "I love you."  
"I love you too, Miss Martin," Fabian grinned. "How are you?"  
"I'm good. Nervous, because the honey destroying day is like...tomorrow. But I'm okay, because you're here," Nina admitted, edging closer to him and placing her arms around his waist. "I missed you so much in America. It was like a piece of me was missing."  
"So you really didn't date anyone? No one?" Fabian pondered. "No tall, dark haired boy in my absence?"  
"Not properly, no," Nina shrugged. "I loved you consistently, Fabian. I mean, sure, I had friends, and went to parties. And kissed people, when I was feeling lonely at the parties. But I never dated them, because my heart's been technically taken since the day we met."  
Fabian's brows furrowed. "You kissed guys? At parties? Care to elaborate?" His insides had tensed up. Who were these mystery men? How handsome were they? Did any of them pursue her properly?

"Well, I kissed three boys – which is not a lot, to say it was a year, and I socialised a lot. One was Adam, he was my best friend, and it was just for spin the bottle. He's actually asexual, so I'm pretty sure he enjoyed it even less than I did as he's totally not interested in anyone. The next boy was Gage, but we were kind of into each other when we met. Not in the same way as you and I but...well, I was feeling very lonely, and he sort of reminded me of you. We drifted apart pretty quickly. Then, there was Joel." Nina's lips closed at that point, and Fabian looked worried.  
"What about him?" he asked, stutter creeping back into his voice as his nerves rose.  
"We only ever met once, at a party. We hit it off, as friends, and he kept on giving me alcohol and stuff. I was feeling crap, Fabian. I always felt crap. I missed you all, and I wanted to forget you all, so I tried some drinks, okay?" Nina exhaled. "It's nothing you guys haven't done, once or twice."  
"Well, we've all been drunk, we're eighteen – but not much, not really. What happened, Nina?"  
"So we met that night, and ended up making out, a lot – and then his _girlfriend_ showed up. I didn't know he had one, see, and I still feel really guilty about it. They broke up, and he started pursuing me, but I felt sick with guilt and couldn't even talk to him. He still emails me, asking to Skype, asking to come to England. And his girlfriend still despises me. They've faded out now, a bit, but I still feel awful."

Fabian ignored the fact that Nina had not only 'made out' with, but had been pursued by some Joel, and grabbed her hands. "Don't feel guilty. You didn't know. And if Joel emails you again, I'll send him a very frank 'please leave' reply, okay?" Fabian grinned, reeling her in to plant the softest kiss on her lips. "I love you, I love you, I love you."  
"I love you too, Fabian," Nina whispered, returning the kiss again. She didn't tell him, but every kiss she had ever had in America had been shockingly awful in comparison to his kisses.

 _I could write some Walfie but I'm really not in the mood; I'm not too big on them as a couple. Anyways, I hope this tied up some loose ends! I didn't want Mara to be a bitch, so I hope you're all okay with her platonic love with Jerome, and I'm quite a fan of Jamber right now. Anyway, until next time!_


	28. Chapter 28

_Trigger warning: There is slight homophobia (and it sickened me to write it, too; homophobia is vile.)._

The clock struck midnight, and the date on everybody's phones switched.

7th July.

The Anubis students had been up an already, after having slept the full day prior to prepare themselves. Each student had bedraggled hair and bleary eyes, but they were all determined to do one thing: destroy the honey. Victor was up first, Trudy at his side (who had been told everything), looking more focused than he had ever looked in his life. "We all need to die at some point," he said to himself. "The honey is better off gone."

The students gathered for breakfast at 1 o'clock in the morning, Trudy's quivering hands shakily pouring orange juice into everybody's glasses. The room was deafeningly silent, but beneath the table, everybody was holding hands. Fabian and Nina. Nina and Patricia. Patricia and Eddie. Eddie and Amber. Amber and Jerome. Jerome and Mara. Mara and Joy. Joy and KT. KT and Alfie. Alfie and Willow. Mick had left the day before, had returned to sports school before the big day, so he was not a part of the intense circle that the students had formed. Finally, Fabian broke the ice. "This better be our last mystery. Ever."  
"It will be," Nina said softly. "It has to be. I can't go through it again, I can't be forced to break up with you again, I'll lose my sanity-"  
"Me too. This has caused us all problems, love-life wise, and hopefully it'll end with today," Eddie smiled determinedly. Patricia nodded at him, and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

At half past six, Nina walked up the stairs, fingers playing with her hair, lips shivering. "It'll end with today," she repeated, like a mantra. Her entire body shuddered as she opened the door to her room and slid the honey from her cabinet. "It'll end with today."  
"I promise you, it will." Fabian was behind her then, sliding his arms around her waist and planting the lightest kiss to ever exist on the crook of her neck. Nina melted, a smile glistening over her features. "Then, we can go back to normalcy," he promised. "We can fight with each other over whether we get salt or sweet popcorn. We can get a little jealous over people, thinking we flirt when we don't, and make shady comments. And at the end of the day, we can lie in your bed and we can cuddle until we fall asleep. Nice, normal lives. Right?"  
Nina's quaking body had collapsed into tears. "Right," she croaked. "Oh God, Fabian." She turned to face him, her nose against his, his eyes boring into hers. "It's like we've all been building up to this moment – but what if it doesn't work? What then?"  
"Then we try again, until we're all bleeding with trying so hard," Fabian giggled. "I won't leave this. Or you. Ever." And he closed the gap between them with a kiss, folding his arms around her, and pulling away slightly after a second. "Because I love you."  
"I love you," Nina answered, kissing his cheek before resting her head on his shoulder. "You're my rock, you know that?"  
"I know," Fabian grinned. "I love that."

Then, hands clasped, they walked downstairs to face the gathered crowd of students ready to destroy the honey.

 **MARA**

I had vacated the living room. Everything had become too intense; I had left Sibuna for a good reason, and I knew that being around the action would be overwhelming. So, I was burying my head in _The Great Gatsby,_ soft music lilting in my ears. Beethoven always calmed me down, and I could already feel anxieties streaking through my brain because of the action downstairs. I wanted someone to come stroke my ebony hair and soften my fears, but nobody was around. So, I delved deeper into the book and lost myself in the plot, turning my Beethoven tunes up louder to drown out my terrified thoughts.

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

"It's quarter to seven," announced Victor. "You have fifteen minutes, and then I want to hear your blood dripping over that honey."  
"Possibly the creepiest adaptation of the Ten o'clock Speech ever," Alfie jested, slinging his arm around Willow casually. Jerome shot him a glare.  
"You're not taking this seriously," he muttered. Amber perked a brow at him, silencing his words (which mainly stemmed from his slight jealousy of Alfie due to his past with Amber).  
"Who bears the knife?" winked Patricia, to which Eddie brandished the kitchen knife Trudy had gingerly handed him.  
"Do you want to practise? So we get it right," Nina asked. Eddie nodded, holding his hand out. She followed suit, and he quickly dragged the blade over their skin, causing blood to dribble out onto the table. "Easy enough," he shrugged. "Should be fine."

"Oh, should it?"  
Everybody in the room bristled at the voice. The stabbing words were barely said – the question had been executed by a silken, melodic voice that sounded more like a song than a mere sentence. Slowly, everybody turned around – and did not like the image that lay in front of them.

Miss Lacy was standing in the doorway, golden curls pulled up in a perfect ponytail, curvy figure clad in black, sleepless, darting eyes decorated with clean-cut eyeliner in sharp wings. Her leather-covered fingers were clutching a gun, fixed over the trigger. "Give me the honey," she demanded.  
"Lacy, you don't have to do this! It's natural to die!" Victor cried out, causing the woman to point the barrel of her gun directly at him, pulling a flinch from the man.  
"No. I will not die. Never." The words were, for once, not sung. In fact, they pelted out of her strawberry lips like daggers, stabbing everyone in the room. "Don't you see me?" Miss Lacy laughed. "Can you not see how _gorgeous_ I am?" Then, her gun found a new target: Amber, who was now whimpering with fear. "Surely you must understand. You, with your flawless skin and glorious hair, just like me! Surely you understand why I have to preserve myself. I have to be alive forever, I have to be an immortal figure of- of beauty, and of authority!" Jerome's hand drifted to meet Amber's, their eyes connecting, terrified. "Oh, does the pretty girl have a lover boy? How precious. Well, at least you're not a gay one. I'm sick of gay ones." Miss Lacy's eyes flickered over KT and Joy, who were shivering in each other's arms. "You disgust me. I'll get rid of you all when I'm immortal, you'll see. In fact, I'll start off with you."

Miss Lacy reached out and grabbed Joy, pulling her over. "No!" yelled KT, moving forward, before freezing as Miss Lacy pressed the barrel of her gun to Joy's head.  
"Give me the honey, or this little thing will die."

 **MARA**

I heard something. A muffled scream that caused me to pluck one earphone out. I placed down my book, and crept out of my room, peeking my head around the stairs into the living room. Then, I saw figures moving out of the room over to the house door, causing me to crouch where I stood, still staring at the scene.  
"Please. Please don't kill her! Guys, give her the honey, give her the honey!" KT was shrieking, in hysterics.  
"No!" screamed Joy, tears smudging black rivers of mascara down her cheeks. "She'll only use it for evil. KT, be strong. Don't give her the honey. Don't."  
"Do give me the honey, do!" cackled Miss Lacy, pushing the gun into Joy's skin, causing her to wince in pain.  
"Beauty isn't beauty if it's not on the outside too! Don't kill her, or you'll be ugly!" Amber was gabbling, desperately, but her voice was just one in a million. Everybody was begging Miss Lacy to stop, but everybody was silent at the same time, staring at Nina's white knuckles lining the honey that she was not going to give away.

And I knew I couldn't sit there. How could I? Creeping silently back into my room, my eyes darted around for a weapon. Anything. Then, my eyes settled upon the most ridiculous, Disney-esque weapon in the world – a pan. I remembered why it was there, on my bedroom floor; Alfie had been begging me to do his homework, beating on the pan until I agreed. He had obviously left it unattended. So I grabbed it, and strode over to the window. I had to go through the front door, and stop her from behind, so I pushed the glass opened and clambered out. Heights had never phased me, but the shaking of my limbs did; one quiver out of time, and I would tumble and break bones, not evil teachers. Clutching the pan, I managed to crawl down the brick wall of the house, whimpering softly. My fingers scraped against the unkind bricks, causing a drop of blood to ooze from my palms, but I ignored the pain, and the eye-blurring fear as I jumped to the ground. I could not let her hurt my friends.

 **3** **RD** **PERSON**

"Nina. Give her the honey," Victor's voice said monotonously. His tone registered defeat; he couldn't even look at the students. KT and Patricia were both messes, tears streaking their faces, Patricia shuddering in Eddie's straitjacket embrace.  
"Please, Nina, do it," Patricia whispered.  
"No! We have to destroy it. It's our destiny," Eddie argued. "Come on Patricia, we have to."  
"Eddie, if you are going to stand in the way of my best friend's life, I don't want to be with you anymore. Screw destiny. Joy is not going to die," Patricia growled.  
"Okay. It's your call," Eddie decided, loosening his arms.  
"Give me the honey," Miss Lacy repeated for the millionth time.  
"No," Nina answered, for the millionth time.  
"Alright. Then I'm going to kill Joy." Miss Lacy's fingers tightened over the trigger...

But the door behind her swung open, and a pan crashed into her head, sending her crumpling to the ground to revealing Mara in a fit behind her, sobbing hysterically, eyes puffy, shoulders shaking. It was Jerome and Amber who got to her first, pulling their arms around her. "It'll be okay," they whispered. Jerome planted a kiss on her cheek, and Amber tightened the group embrace.

Maybe it would be. Maybe.


End file.
